An Earlier Intersection
by Casa Circe
Summary: Starts early in Book 2. What if Fate decided to make their paths meet earlier than any of them ever expected? When Zuko and Iroh suddenly join the Avatar's group after "The Chase", they all need to settle their differences somehow. But what happens next?
1. Chapter 1

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: This is the multi-chapter Zutara story I promised before. It is also a response to the poll on my profile which shows that so many of you are interested in seeing me write Zutara again. _

_This is not going to be as long as my other stories but I hope that you will still like it. For now, this is the only idea for a Zutara that I have left so I'm going to act on it while I still can. It's been a while so bear with me._

_And I'll be out of town for a while so the earliest that I can update this will be March 18. Sorry for the delay._

_The story is set in Book 2, sometime between "The Blind Bandit" and "The Chase." Enjoy._

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"Hey guys, look at this!" Sokka cried out excitedly.

"Sorry, I can't," Toph replied sarcastically, making the Water Tribe Warrior feel slightly embarrassed. He was still not used to having a blind earthbender in the group.

"Sokka, we don't have time to waste looking at 'Wanted' posters," Katara remonstrated, "besides, we've already seen hundreds of weird interpretations of Aang's face. I think we can live without seeing another one."

"I don't mind looking at some new ones," the Avatar chimed in cheerfully, "I hope they get my nose right this time. And they better not make my ears too big again. Although it does help if my posters are inaccurate since it makes the real me less recognizable."

"I'm not talking about Aang's poster," Sokka argued, "although this one is pretty amusing…. No, I meant these other two!"

And with that, Sokka pointed at two other posters on the large tree they were standing near. Aang moved closer to the trunk that was plastered all over with "Wanted" posters. Even Katara grew curious about this so she decided to take a peek as well.

They saw what Sokka had been fussing about and could not help but share his surprise. For beside the poster of the Avatar and a bunch of other notorious criminals, were posters of General Iroh and Prince Zuko.

"Now, there are two people you don't expect to see on 'Wanted' posters," Sokka commented.

"What are Iroh and Zuko doing here?" Aang voiced what everyone wanted to ask.

"Who?" Toph asked, "Okay, somebody is going to have to explain all this to me some time."

"Long story, Toph," Aang told her, "I'll tell you about it later."

"Well, you'd better," the disgruntled earthbender replied.

She didn't like being left out of anything. That's what she liked about sensing everything through her feet. But there were certain things that even her acute senses could not tell her, and whenever she didn't know these, she remembered her blindness.

But she had also learned that there was a lot that could be discovered by simply listening. So she decided to discreetly pay attention to her new companions. Something interesting would surely come up in their discussions.

"Well, what do you know?" Sokka remarked, "No wonder we haven't been chased around recently. Our hunters have become the hunted as well."

Katara read through the descriptions of the two new fugitives. She was as surprised as her brother and friend to see the faces of their former enemies on those posters. She wondered how things could have turned out so badly for the haughty prince and his kind uncle.

"It says here that they are now considered traitors to the Fire Nation," Katara read the descriptions out loud, "do you think this has something to do with Iroh helping us out at the North Pole?"

"Probably," Sokka replied, "there were enough witnesses around to testify that Iroh went against Zhao. And I guess that since they branded the uncle, they might as well do the same to the nephew. Those two seem like a package deal anyway."

"Maybe if would have been better for them if they just joined up with us after Zhao went down," Aang suggested.

"I don't think Iroh would have minded," Sokka said, "but there was no way his nephew would agree to that. He was obsessed with capturing you. And frankly, I don't think I'd get along with that jerk at all."

"I don't think I could trust him," Katara admitted, "And how could we take such a big risk of letting him join us?"

"I guess you're right," Aang conceded with a sigh. He continued to read the posters with interest.

"There's a bounty on both their heads," Aang observed, "I can't believe the Fire Lord would do something like that to his brother and his son."

"I don't understand how he banished his own son in the first place," Katara said, slightly sympathetically, "what terrible, unforgivable thing could Zuko have done to deserve such punishment?"

"Well, the father we're talking about is the Fire Lord, after all," Sokka rationalized, "you know, the man who's been responsible for prolonging the war and continuing a legacy of pain and suffering. I don't imagine his family life is any fun."

"Apparently not," Katara conceded, looking once more at the poster of the banished prince, "talk about harsh."

It wasn't a very flattering depiction of Zuko. His scar had been exaggerated and covered almost half his face and he had a contemptuous scowl on his face. It was all the artist could do not to add horns and fangs to make the picture look more like a monster.

Katara pondered on this for a few moments. Though he had been their enemy, he did not deserve to be discarded so easily by his own father. She didn't think it was fair, especially considering how hard he had worked to try and capture Aang. She would never approve of his actions but she had to give him some credit for his perseverance.

She remembered the last time she had seen him, at the North Pole. He had come alone then, without his ship or his men. He had risked everything to infiltrate the Northern Water Tribe just to capture Aang. It wasn't a very well-thought-out plan, she thought, but it showed his unwavering resolve. He had said something about regaining his honor when he had captured her. She was not sure what that meant in Fire Nation culture, since she didn't believe honor to be something to be given or taken away from someone like a title or possession. But she could see that Zuko was willing to do whatever it took to return home.

He had looked so different at the North Pole. She had not recognized him for a moment, not only because he was dressed in winter clothes. He was haggard and clearly exhausted. His breathing was heavy; it had been clear that he was exhausted and unused to the harsh cold climate. He had bruises and scratches on his face, like he had just been in an accident. And though she knew that her improved waterbending skills and her being on home turf had given her the clear advantage in her re-match with him, she somehow felt that he would have put up more of a fight if he had been in a better condition.

Katara found herself wondering what happened to the Fire Nation prince in between all their encounters. She was sure that he had had to deal with hostility from people all over the Earth Kingdom. Though he had soldiers with him, he did not have enough to conquer any cities on his own. And after Katara had seen the enormity of the Fire Nation fleet, she knew that Zuko's ship was tiny by comparison.

The waterbender suddenly realized that though they had been dealing with the banished prince for so long, there was still so much they didn't know about him. Well, it wasn't like they had had opportunities to chat or swap life stories. But still, Katara was suddenly more curious about Zuko.

"I feel bad for them," Aang said, interrupting Katara's reverie, "we're lucky we have Appa to travel with. Those two are literally on the run. I can't imagine having to walk all the way around the Earth Kingdom."

"I guess we're in a much better situation than they are," Sokka conceded, patting Appa affectionately. The sky bison gave a short roar of assent.

"Well," the Water Tribe Warrior continued, "if that's the case, it isn't likely that we'll be running into them anytime soon. And if we do, I don't think it will matter much anymore."

"Do you think Zuko's given up on capturing Aang?" Katara asked.

"The question is: do you think the Fire Lord will change his mind if Zuko does capture Aang," Sokka replied matter of fact-ly, "by the looks of it, Zuko and Iroh are going to be too busy trying to survive to worry about Aang."

"Maybe," Katara conceded, though she wasn't entirely convinced.

"If you guys are done speculating about the Fire Nation Royal family," Toph interrupted impatiently, finally tired of being ignored, "don't you think we should get a move on?"

"You're right," Aang agreed immediately, "we've lingered here too long."

"I'll say," Toph said, "and you're going to start your earthbending training soon."

"Right," Aang said excitedly, suddenly remembering why Toph had joined them. The Avatar eagerly mounted his sky-bison with Toph following reluctantly.

"Well, this was an interesting little break," Sokka said with a shrug, before mounting Appa as well.

Katara was about to do the same when she hesitated for a moment and took another glance at the wall of "Wanted" posters. She looked towards the group and saw that a little argument had erupted over Toph's dislike for traveling by air. So none of them noticed when the waterbender discreetly tore out the posters for Aang, Iroh, and Zuko and kept these hastily in her satchel. She would destroy them all as soon as she had the chance. So as not to arouse suspicion, she quickly climbed up on Appa and rejoined her friends.

Katara was surprised by her actions and was glad that the others had not seen her. She didn't know how she would explain anything to them right now. She could not even understand herself.

She usually got rid of Aang's posters but she wondered now why she bothered to do the same for the other two. She didn't dwell on it; she didn't want to. She decided that she was just doing them a little favor and that was all there was to it.

"This should keep some crazy bounty hunters off your trail for a while," she thought, silently addressing the firebenders, wherever they were.


	2. Chapter 2

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: I am so very sorry for the delay. I didn't expect to be gone for so long. I'm sorry. My life has been a whirlwind of activity and in the past three weeks I have had very little time to write (out-of-town retreat, preparation for graduation and college graduation, moving out of my house, etc. I won't bore you with the details…) _

_I don't even know how much time I will have to write. But since this story is not going to be very long, I will endeavor to update it as often as I can. So sorry again but here is the next chapter. I will try to have the next one up soon. Thanks for your continued support._

_Don't worry. I will try to minimize delays between updates. The next chapters won't take this long before they are posted._

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Katara really enjoyed going to the market when she could. It was a chore she looked forward to the most because aside from being able to replenish their much-needed supplies, she also got a chance to have some time by herself.

As much as she loved the company of Aang, Sokka, and lately, Toph (though the earthbender was beginning to get on her nerves), Katara missed having some quiet time alone. This gave her a chance to relax a bit and to mull things over peacefully.

Another great benefit was that the market was always the best place to catch up on the latest news and gossip (whichever was more prevalent). She would listen carefully to whatever was reported about the progress of the war, any rebellion attempts, and any leads to capturing the Avatar. People were always eager to talk and Katara took advantage of this. And whenever she could, she contributed some false information on the whereabouts of the Avatar, just to throw people off course a little bit.

One day, when she was negotiating the price for some dubious looking cabbages, Katara heard something particularly interesting.

"Are you sure it was really the Fire Lord's son who came to your village?" one woman asked loudly.

Immediately, Katara was on alert and looked around to see where the voice had come from. It wasn't difficult to find the speaker for a small crowd had already gathered around to listen to her unusual story. The waterbender joined them and listened in.

"I know how strange it sounds," the woman continued, "and if I wasn't there myself, I wouldn't believe it. But it really was him. He declared it to the whole village and he showed his firebending."

"Did he attack you? How many soldiers did he bring?" someone asked.

"That's the weird part," the woman answered, "he was completely alone."

At this Katara's eyes widened and she listened even more attentively. She hadn't seen Zuko since the North Pole and after seeing those "Wanted" posters, she figured he wasn't travelling with a retinue of soldiers anymore. But he would at least be travelling with Iroh, wouldn't he?

"And we didn't recognize him at first, not until he showed his firebending," the strange woman continued, "he was dressed just like one of us, worse even, just like a peasant. And he didn't say much. He even helped my friend repair his roof and talked to my friend's son. We"

The woman went on to relate all the events that took place in the town where Zuko passed by briefly. Katara listened in astonishment at the account of the young prince single-handedly facing a fierce gang of earthbending bullies to defend the villagers.

She had never known Zuko to do things other than hunt down the Avatar so hearing of his unexpected heroism was a treat for the waterbender. She longed to hear more. Unfortunately, the story was coming to an end.

"We couldn't let the son of the Fire Lord stay in our village, of course," the woman concluded, "so we sent him away as soon as the earthbending bullies left."

"Just like that?" someone asked, "didn't he react violently? Didn't he threaten you?"

The woman paused and recalled for a moment.

"Come to think of it," she replied, "he didn't do any of that. He just packed his things and rode away on his ostrich horse without a word."

At this the other people started muttering amongst themselves, speculating and commenting on such strange behavior from one of their enemies. Katara was perplexed as well. What she heard of Zuko at the market wasn't quite consistent with his behavior to them on previous occasions. The old Zuko would not have allowed anyone, especially Earth Kingdom peasants, treat him that way. But for him to take such outright rejection in silence, Katara admired and pitied him.

_He seems so different now,_ Katara thought, _hardly the proud prince I fought at the North Pole._

There was still a chance that the woman at the market wasn't really talking about Zuko but Katara had a hunch that she was hearing the truth. The physical description given, the emphasis on his scar, and other details confirmed his identity. Besides, there didn't seem to be any real incentive to invent a story that seemed so strange.

But something about the way the villagers repaid Zuko for his fighting for them irked Katara. He had clearly done them a service, without asking or expecting anything in return. He didn't deserve to be so poorly treated.

"Why did you send him away like that?" the waterbender blurted out suddenly, "he helped your village, didn't he?"

The others turned to her in surprise and Katara felt slightly embarrassed by her outburst. But she was determined to get some answers. And the woman before her seemed to consider her question seriously.

"I guess we were a bit harsh on him," she conceded, "after all, he wasn't much more than a young man passing through anyway."

"If you ask me," someone spoke (who hadn't been asked anyway), "you treated him just fine. He's the Fire Lord's son, the son of the man who continues to wage war on us all. He shouldn't be trusted."

"All that might have been some act or trap to try and capture you," another person added, "at least you were wise enough not to fall for it."

"Never trust a firebender," someone said, and this comment was met with general approval.

Katara didn't dare make another comment in Zuko's defense because she didn't want to call attention to herself. The general prejudice against firebenders, especially those in the Royal Family (banished or not), was so strong that Katara decided to remain silent though she still felt that their judgment of Zuko wasn't completely fair.

She had to agree that some of their allegations had merit, considering their limited experiences with firebenders. And she couldn't blame them for their fears and suspicions. These were the unseen scars of war.

"But he seemed different from other firebenders," the woman from the village added, to the others' surprise, "he was travelling alone, and seemed tired and hungry when he arrived. He seemed very…ordinary. Now that I look back on it, I don't think he intended to harm anyone. He was just passing through, like anyone else."

Before another round of conspiracy theories could be voiced, Katara ventured a comment.

"He's a fugitive now," the waterbender said, "his own father wants him hunted down and captured. I don't think we should think of him as our enemy anymore."

Just after she said this, Katara was surprised at how much she meant each word. She didn't know what to make of this sudden firebender sympathy.

Of course such a controversial comment raised a lot of hullaballoo in the market but Katara was spared from an extensive debate by the arrival of some long-awaited merchants from Ba Sing Se. They brought more products and more interesting news as well. The small crowd dispersed and the matter was soon forgotten, except by a few other pensive people.

The village the woman had come from was not far from that are and for a moment Katara wondered if Zuko was taking a parallel route. Why was he travelling alone? Was he still running away or was he trying to find a new home? How much had he changed from the time they had fought at the Northern Water Tribe? Katara surprised herself at how curious she was about him. From all that she had seen and heard recently, she was beginning to think that she might not recognize him if she saw him again.

Of course, whatever else about his demeanor may change, he would always have that scar to distinguish him from others.

She shook her head at such a notion. Why did she care so much, anyway? It wasn't important. It wasn't relevant, at least not at the moment.

"I must be getting too used to the others," the waterbender thought in an attempt to justify her pondering on Zuko and his circumstances, "so my mind keeps straying to less predictable people."

Katara finished the marketing before returning to the camp, taking her time to reflect on all of the news that she had just heard. She considered telling the others all about it but when she arrived, she saw that Sokka, Aang, and Toph were having some fun. She didn't want to ruin the jovial mood by sharing some serious news.

And they still hadn't told Toph the complete story about their run-ins with Zuko. It would take too much time to explain everything. Katara didn't want the newest addition to the group feel left out. And she still had to adjust to Toph's behavior. Katara had thought that adding a girl to the group would bring her more comfort but it seemed like the opposite was happening.

Besides, the most important thing at the moment was for Aang to learn and master earthbending. And he had to practice his waterbending as well, of course. The Avatar's training was the top priority. Everything else had to be set aside. There was too much going on for her to be dwelling too much on the mysterious behavior of a former foe.

_What is the point of discussing Zuko anyway? _Katara thought resolutely, _now that he isn't trying to capture Aang anymore, it isn't likely that we're going to bump into him anytime soon._


	3. Chapter 3

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: This chapter is set towards the end of "The Chase" and brings us finally to where the story ought to begin. I have made some significant changes, of course, and I hope that you will like how this will turn out._

_As I mentioned before, my ideas for this story are limited so there might only be a few chapters left, depending on how much more I can figure out to write for this. And my schedule at present is still unpredictable so I don't know how often I can update. But I promise that I will try to keep the delays to a minimum. Enjoy the story._

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All of them were still reeling from the severe lack of sleep. It was a miracle they could all still fight. But the circumstances were urgent enough and their bodies knew how to keep up. Adrenaline was coursing through their veins as the Avatar and his friends struggled to defend themselves against Azula in the abandoned Earth Kingdom town.

Even in the chaos of the fight, Katara couldn't help but notice who had joined forces with them rather unexpectedly. The two firebenders they had been hearing so much about weeks ago were now fighting by their side.

Zuko and Iroh were there. Katara could hardly believe it and yet did not have the time to try and figure out how their paths had crossed. The waterbender thought it strange that Azula readily engaged her own brother and uncle in a fight. But then again, the entire Fire Nation Royal family seemed to be unusual.

She shook her head. There was no time to be analyzing the familial complexities of the Fire Nation. The past few days had been filled with a whirlwind of events that they had not yet even recovered from. She needed to concentrate on the fight, which was quickly becoming one-sided.

Katara was glad to notice that Toph had returned to help them. After their fierce arguments, she had been worried that the earthbender had left them for good. And Katara really wanted to apologize for all the harsh things she had said. She was relieved that she would have a chance to reconcile now.

During the fight, the waterbender couldn't help but glance at the prince. Just like what she heard in the market, he was dressed in the clothes of an Earth Kingdom peasant. He seemed a lot thinner than before but his firebending skills significantly improved. But even with this, he still did not seem to be a match for his more powerful sister.

Azula had proved to be a more effective and relentless pursuer than her brother. Katara was a bit nervous that even with their combined powers, they might not be able to defeat her. The waterbender blinked and brushed the idea from her mind. It would not do to be intimidated by the princess now.

Zuko had his gaze fixed on his sister, alert to whatever tricks she might have to play. He knew how wily she could be and made sure to be as sharp as he could. He would have to worry about the Avatar later. Azula was their enemy at the moment.

Slowly and carefully, the group of benders ganged up on the firebending prodigy and soon had her cornered. Azula stepped backwards but saw that there was a wall that blocked her way.

What bothered Katara most about this was the smug and nonchalant expression on Azula's face.

_Why doesn't she look the least bit worried about facing so many opponents alone? _Katara wondered, _was she really that confident in her abilities or was it just a very convincing bluff?_

The Fire Nation princess took a good look at all her opponents before smirking contemptuously. Zuko narrowed his eyes and kept his stance steady, his arms poised for attack. Azula was always at her worst when she smiled like that.

"Well, look at this," the princess said derisively, "Enemies and traitors all working together. I'm done."

Azula raised her hands to feign surrender. No one believed this gesture to be sincere and all were still on their guard.

"I know when I'm beaten," Azula continued slyly, "you got me. A princess surrenders with honor."

"What is she up to?" Zuko thought, watching his sister intently, "she's definitely setting a trap for us. I need to know what it is before it's too late."

Azula turned her golden eyes on each person standing before her. Zuko followed her gaze suspiciously. He would not let his guard down because he was certain that she was about to play one of her tricks.

The princess could see that all her opponents were more tired than she was. But they could still fight and the odds weren't so good, even for her. And she never wanted to be involved in a fight where there was even the slightest chance that she could be defeated. She needed to find a way to distract them, and fast.

In a moment, Azula had taken note of the shift of Iroh's gaze from her to the small earthbender by the Avatar's side. Azula smiled with satisfaction and readied her attack.

What she had not anticipated, however, was that Zuko had seen both the shift in her gaze as well as the sinister, indicative grin. He knew what she was about to do but did not have enough time to prevent it.

Thinking as quickly as he could, the prince managed still managed to push his uncle out of harm's way and receive the deadly blow from Azula. The princess was surprised by this action but didn't mind missing her target. After all, she still hit someone anyway.

All of this happened in a flash. Iroh found himself on the ground and when he looked up, he was just in time to see his nephew shot by Azula's fire blast. Zuko fell not far from his uncle, writhing in pain.

"ZUKO!" Iroh cried out as the Avatar and his friends looked in horror.

But their reflexes were quick and Aang, Katara, and Toph faced Azula and struck her simultaneously with their elements. In the explosion that followed, no one saw if the princess made a counterattack or sustained any injuries. After the smoke cleared, Azula was nowhere to be seen. The others were not very concerned about her escape as they were not in the position to fight any more.

Instead, they turned their attention to the weeping figure of Iroh as he knelt beside his nephew who was barely conscious and writhing in pain.

"My poor nephew," Iroh lamented, unable to control his emotions, "don't worry, I'm here. I'll help you."

Strangely enough, Zuko managed to give his anxious uncle a weak smile.

"That was a close one, uncle," Zuko said with some effort, before clenching his teeth and clutching his stomach.

The older firebender looked like he was about to burst into tears.

Exhausted though they all were, Aang and his friends couldn't stand idly by when someone was severely injured, even a former enemy. They were all sympathetic to Iroh and Zuko. The Avatar and his friends looked at each other and nodded, silently agreeing to offer their help.

It was clear that the two firebenders had no one else to turn to and it was probably only shame that still prevented Iroh from asking for help from the Avatar. But Aang understood this well and nodded to Katara. She understood his meaning immediately.

Carefully, the waterbender approached Iroh and Zuko. The latter was still wincing loudly while his uncle could only watch helplessly, whispering soothing words that brought no real comfort in his condition.

"Iroh," Katara addressed the old man, "I have healing powers. I can help you."

Immediately the old man turned to face her with an expression of teary-eyed gratitude.

"Please," he begged, "please save him. I'll do anything."

"Don't worry about it," Katara said sympathetically, "we don't expect anything in return."

"Thank you, thank you so much," Iroh replied emotionally.

Even in the midst of his suffering, Zuko had heard the conversation and was still vaguely aware that the Avatar's friends would be his salvation. His reason told him to accept their generosity but his irrational pride (and some degree of shame) made him reluctant.

"We don't need anyone's help," he muttered obstinately, "I'll be fine."

Katara frowned at this. How typical of a boy, she thought, insisting that he's all right even when he can barely sit up. Why must they all be so stubborn?

But before she was able to respond, Iroh reprimanded his nephew.

"Don't be a fool, Zuko," the firebender remonstrated, "this isn't the time for your stupid pride and stubbornness. These kind people have generously offered their help and you will show them gratitude."

Iroh turned to Katara and the others and apologized profusely.

"Please forgive my nephew," he said humbly, "he doesn't know what he is saying, and his injuries have clouded his judgment. He means no offense."

"No offense taken, don't worry about it," Aang said cheerfully, "we're not really surprised."

"So that's his nephew, huh?" Toph whispered to the Avatar.

Aang nodded and the airbender began to explain the situation to Toph who listened carefully and caught on very quickly.

Aang was also very excited about this unexpected development. He had a very good feeling that they would be welcoming a couple more newcomers to their group. Not only that, he would surely have a firebending master as well. All this was well worth the lack of sleep they had had to endure, he thought.

Meanwhile, Katara had ventured a little closer to Zuko to get a better look at his injuries. He had stopped struggling and was lying down still but his breathing was labored and his eyes were closed. Though he was still reluctant to be relying on the Avatar's friends for his health, he was too weak and tired to protest any further. And he already knew that his uncle had the last word in this situation.

Iroh knelt beside Katara as she assessed Zuko's injuries. The waterbender's eyes went wide at the extent of the damage Azula had caused. Katara's experience was limited but she had never seen such extensive injuries. It seemed that the fierce fire blast had miraculously missed Zuko's vital organs which explained why he was still conscious, why he was still alive. Katara could not help but admire his strength at being able to withstand so much pain.

"He will be all right, won't he?" Iroh asked in concern.

"Of course," Katara replied reassuringly, "I can handle this."

Opening her gourd, Katara quickly bended some of her healing water over Zuko's wounds. The liquid began to glow under her fingers as she spread it out over the affected areas. Zuko winced at the contact but soon coped by taking deep breaths.

"Calm down," Katara whispered soothingly, "let me help you."

The prince stared at her though with effort since his eyelids were growing heavy.

"It's you," he muttered softly, "you're with the Avatar."

"Katara," the waterbender told him, "my name is Katara."

He nodded slightly, still staring at her in confusion. Katara tried her best not to look at him as she continued her work. His gaze was making her suddenly self-conscious and a bit uneasy.

"You know who I am," Zuko said weakly but seriously, "so why are you doing this?"

Katara paused and looked at him. She couldn't find an easy and immediate answer so she had to ponder on it for a few moments. Helping people, no matter who they were, was so much a part of her nature that she never felt that she needed to explain herself to anyone. But she could see that Zuko could not understand such unconditional kindness and she realized that perhaps he had never experienced it before.

"I'm doing this ," Katara replied steadfastly, "because I never turn my back on people who need me."


	4. Chapter 4

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: So sorry for the delay. I've been busier than I anticipated. Not to mention I've been struggling with how I want this story to turn out. I hope that you are pleased with the results so far._

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"Come on, Twinkletoes, take this seriously! Do you want to learn earthbending or not?"

"I'm trying, I'm trying," Aang replied in frustration.

Toph was proving to be a strict and demanding teacher. But she was one of the greatest earthbenders Aang had ever met so he was determined to meet her standards.

The rest of the group sympathized with the Avatar since they could see how much effort he was putting into his training. But they were all warned not to interfere. And even if they could, they were all too busy with their own assigned tasks to meddle in Toph's business.

A few days had passed since their momentous encounter with Azula and after travelling as far and as fast as they could from the deserted village, they were convinced that the princess was not on their tail. They were all greatly relieved and began to settle down somewhat.

But even with the threat of pursuit temporarily gone, the Avatar and his friends still had their hands full dealing with the unexpected new additions to their party.

After travelling so long with only a few companions, Aang now found it delightful to have more people joining him, even if some were former enemies. The young airbender was never averse to company and he was a firm believer in the saying "the more the merrier."

His other friends were not as welcoming or as enthusiastic. Sokka, in particular, had a difficult time dealing with the new arrivals. This was not surprising considering he and his sister had spent years in the confines of their small, remote village in the South Pole. But Katara was a little more tolerant and accepting of others than her brother was.

"I miss the good old days," the Water Tribe Warrior mused to Appa and Momo one day, "you know, when it was just you, me, Katara, and Aang, travelling around the world, saving it from the Fire Nation."

Momo merely chirped and Appa gave a low grumble.

"I mean, right now everything seems so…" Sokka continued, struggling to find the right word, "crowded. You know what I mean?" 

Appa grunted loudly at this.

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Sokka conceded, "don't give me that look, Appa. I know that this is an even bigger change for you, after spending a hundred years in an iceberg with just Aang. And now, with so many extra people to carry! I feel your pain, buddy, I really do."

Appa grunted in reply, as if to say that Sokka could have no idea. Sokka didn't pay much attention to his large friend's opinion as he sighed wistfully. He was too engrossed in figuring out how they would deal with Zuko once he woke up.

For a few minutes after Katara had started healing the prince's wounds, Zuko lost consciousness. And so far, he had been in a deep but troubled sleep. Sokka had protested violently at first, reminding them of all the things that Zuko had tried to do to them in the past. But Iroh was sincere in begging for their help and Aang and Katara were very sympathetic. And though she didn't know much about their past dealings, Toph was sympathetic to Iroh, and so to Sokka's chagrin, he was overruled in the matter.

But just the same he was relieved that the prince was unconscious. No one was sure how Zuko would react to being among them and being helped by the very person he was ordered to capture.

Iroh did his best to contribute to the wellbeing of the group in exchange for them taking him and Zuko in. The kindly old man did not want to be a burden to his new friends and did everything he could to help. It had already been decided that he would be Aang's firebending teacher. But they had all agreed that Aang should learn the last two elements one by one. And he still needed some practice in his waterbending. But the plan was for him to at least be proficient in earthbending before he would attempt to firebend.

So while waiting his turn to train the Avatar, Iroh made himself useful by performing a host of important chores.

Katara was grateful for the old firebender's presence as he often helped with the cooking among other things and the group always had some well-brewed tea. And even Sokka conceded that some of the cold nights became less lonely and tiring whenever Iroh would tell jokes and share amusing stories about his travels. Sokka had to admit that the old man was a master of comedy in his own right.

For the first few nights, they avoided asking him serious questions about the Fire Nation and his family, and they took special care not to ask about Zuko just yet.

But whenever he had a spare moment, Iroh would stay by his nephew's side and it was clear to the others that the old man loved the prince like his own son. In spending time nursing the wounded firebender, Katara and Iroh grew close.

Zuko's recovery was slow but sure. His life was out of danger but his wounds still needed constant attention. Katara always found herself wondering how any sister could do this to her own brother. The waterbender had a feeling that Azula felt no remorse for what she had done and this greatly appalled the kind girl.

"He's lived a hard life, my nephew," Iroh said one night, "though you may not believe it."

Katara's interest was piqued and she encouraged the old man to say more. She had always been interested in the prince's story but never wanted to pry. As curious as she had been, she didn't want to force Iroh to say something that would make him uncomfortable.

She looked at the figure lying down, his face still frowning even in sleep. She wasn't sure if he could hear anything they were saying but she did not want to take any risks. Katara also didn't want to cause him any more pain. For she had seen him plagued by nightmares almost every night and she shuddered to imagine what horrible things he was seeing during his slumber.

"I don't really know much about him," the waterbender said, "but I can see that he has suffered."

Iroh nodded gravely, almost suppressing some tears.

"And I wish there was more I could do to help him," Katara added earnestly, watching for the old man's reaction.

"You've done so much for him already," Iroh reassured her, "though he might not show his appreciation at first. You've saved his life, and the friendship you have all given him (even reluctantly) is just what he needs to become the good man I know him to be."

Iroh laid a hand gently on Zuko's forehead.

"He's never had any real friends," he explained, "and our family, as you may have noticed, isn't the happiest in the world."

Katara nodded. Ironic to think that the most powerful family in the Four Nations should also be the most broken.

"So he's hidden behind his anger and stubbornness for so long," Iroh continued, "but he has a kind and gentle heart. He only needs the opportunity to show it."

Katara listened to these words carefully as she started to treat Zuko's wound with her healing water. The liquid glowed under her hands.

"This wound will heal," she whispered, almost to herself, "but I fear it might leave another scar."

Instinctively, she turned her gaze to the scar he already had, the one that marked his face so distinctively. Iroh watched her reaction gravely.

"He will need to learn," Iroh said, "that he is more than any physical mark, that he can transcend the pain caused even by those he loves."

The older firebender saw that Katara was still staring at Zuko's old scar. But there was no repulsion in her glance, only pity and heartfelt sympathy. An idea crossed Iroh's mind suddenly but he waved it away.

It's much too early for that, he thought. But he was still hopeful.

"Would you like to know how he got that scar?" Iroh asked Katara carefully.

She snapped out of her reverie and looked at him eagerly and then looked down, slightly ashamed of herself. But she could not hide her curiosity.

"It's all right," Iroh reassured her gently, "I know that you're curious."

"But," Katara protested, looking at Zuko for a moment, "won't he be angry if you told me?"

"He might be," Iroh conceded, "but it won't last very long. And I think that after all the kindness and honesty you've shown us, you deserve to know the truth."

Katara took another uneasy glance at the frowning face before sighing and nodding to Iroh. She convinced herself that maybe learning more about his past would help her understand this enigma before her.

So Iroh told her all about that fateful Agni Kai. Katara listened in horror and astonishment and could not help but be moved by the account. She looked at Zuko with greater pity and sadness and was herself serious and pensive for the next couple of days. The others worried about her strange behavior but she could not explain it to them without revealing the story.

Soon, Iroh decided that it was best that this knowledge be known to the other members of the group, since they had welcomed Zuko into their fold so unconditionally. Aang and the others listened in stunned silence. Even Sokka grew less suspicious and resentful towards Zuko after hearing that and he made fewer jokes at the prince's expense.

They were now all eager for him to wake up, Katara most especially.

"It seems like the more I learn about you, the more complicated you become," she thought aloud as she tended to Zuko one night.

Immediately she realized her blunder and put a hand to her mouth, as if this gesture could erase what she had just said.

But Zuko did not stir from his slumber, and soon Katara heaved a sigh of relief. This wasn't the first time this happened. And on many other occasions, Katara wasn't even conscious enough to stop herself. She would talk to him about all sorts of things, from the mundane to profound, just reveling in the fact that there was someone else to talk to in the group. Not that she felt lonely but she felt a strange comfort in being able to confide in someone who seemed to be listening to her every word.

"It's silly, I know," she told him once, "me actually thinking that you can hear me. Part of me wishes that you can't so that you won't remember all these silly ramblings of mine. And yet, part of me wishes that you really can hear all that I'm saying, that… I'm reaching you somehow, wherever you are right now."

One night, she felt particularly daring and laid a hand gently on his left cheek.

"Zuko, come back to us," she said in an earnest whisper, trying to summon him from the depths of his nightmares, "I would really like to meet you."


	5. Chapter 5

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: To those who have been reading my Zutara stories, this must be a familiar scenario. I don't know why Zuko is almost always injured and/or unconscious in my works but it is a common theme and I've always tried to make every take of this event as diverse and creative as possible. I hope that you aren't bored by this latest attempt._

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"He's getting more and more like the Avatar every day," Sokka commented in wonder as he watched Aang juggle between bending the four elements, even in just basic forms.

Katara rolled her eyes.

"After all we've been through do you still have any doubts about that?" the exasperated sister asked.

"Of course not," Sokka replied defensively, "it's just that seeing him actually bending the four elements seems so surreal, like a dream come true almost."

After hearing this, Katara forgave her brother's doubts because she agreed that finally seeing Aang realizing his potential was a moment of great wonderment. And she felt extremely proud and honored to have helped him achieve all this. They all watched as Aang practiced multiple bending. It wasn't a grand display yet, just a simple exercise for him to grow accustomed to handling various techniques. He still had a long way to go to master earthbending and firebending, but he had begun to learn the basics nevertheless.

And though he was still of a playful and slightly whimsical nature, Aang was also seriously reveling in his newfound power with a sense of reverence and respect for the generations of Avatars who had undergone the same struggles. More and more he was beginning to realize the immensity of his responsibility and more and more he was growing able to accept it instead of being intimidated by it.

He was also more confident about facing the coming trials because he knew that he would not be alone in his fight. He looked around with pride and affection at his friends, at the family he had formed in very short time since his return to the world. He felt a surge of love and respect for these people, who had put aside their differences to support him in all his endeavors. He felt infinitely grateful to have met them all.

"All right, that's enough showing off!" Toph cried abruptly, interrupting everyone's reverie, "don't make the mistake of thinking that you know enough earthbending to beat even the Boulder. Time to resume your training!"

"And you still need to learn more firebending," Iroh added, less sternly.

"And of course, your waterbending needs to be polished," Katara added cheerfully.

Aang sighed but showed no dejection. Sokka laughed good-naturedly and put an arm around the airbender's shoulder.

"I feel for you, buddy," Sokka teased, "being the Avatar is hard work."

"Don't I know that," Aang replied with a grin, "but it's also a lot fun!"

"That's the spirit!" Katara cheered him on, "just think that only several months ago, all you could do was airbend!"

"And now, all this progress," Aang affirmed with pride.

"Yes, yes, very impressive," Toph interrupted, "now back to work, Twinkletoes!"

And whenever the blind earthbender called the Avatar by that pet name, Aang knew that she meant business. So he obeyed his master and got into form for another earthbending session.

Katara, Iroh, and Sokka sat down to discuss their future plans. Now that Aang's training had made considerable progress, they decided that it was time to be a little more proactive. Though there was still enough time before the arrival of Sozin's Comet, they were all certain that the Fire Lord and his daughter were not idle in their preparations for the inevitable showdown.

Katara could not help but glance towards the tent where Zuko continued his confinement. As concerned as they were about him, she and Iroh acknowledged that his health was no longer at risk and he did not need as much intensive care. Katara also needed to prioritize Aang's waterbending training so she and Iroh would take turns watching Zuko since Iroh had also started teaching Aang firebending basics.

"His physical wounds no longer prevent him from waking," Iroh told Katara one night, "but there are still some demons he needs to defeat before he can truly wake up to his new life. He's still holding back a bit, but I'm certain that he will return to us soon."

So Katara tried to worry less about her patient and to focus more on her student. She was glad to see how much Aang had improved and grown up in just a short time. And she was also pleased to see how well he was getting along with Toph in spite of her authoritarian teaching methods. She herself was also growing fond of the earthbender, even if they had had some disagreements at first. But Aang seemed to be growing very close to Toph, and Katara had some mischievous suspicions.

She shook her head and focused on the serious discussion at hand. They all agreed that even with Aang's constant training underway, they needed a definite destination in the Earth Kingdom, one where they could be sure of some protection against further pursuit from Azula and others from the Fire Nation.

"The ending of the war does not depend on the Avatar alone," Iroh explained, "but will require everyone's participation. While only he can face the Fire Lord, there are other factors to be considered."

"The best way to face the Fire Nation would be to form an alliance," Katara suggested, "to finally unite the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes against their common enemy."

After having said this, Katara wondered why none of the leaders of these nations ever thought of it before. It was clearly the best way to deal with the Fire Nation. But she figured that the Fire Nation had effectively sowed division amongst its enemies so that it would be difficult for them to unite. All that was about to change, however, since the Avatar had returned. And he was already reaching his true power.

"The best place to start would be Ba Sing Se," Iroh suggested, "the last great Earth Kingdom fortress still not under Fire Nation control. Omashu was taken recently by Princess Azula so the walled city is our only choice."

"You're right," Sokka replied, rolling out a map of the Earth Kingdom in front of them, "but there's still a great distance to be covered for us to get there, even with Appa."

"And we might not be as lucky as we were in Omashu," Katara added, "I doubt Aang has a childhood friend who is the leader of Ba Sing Se."

"Don't worry," Iroh told them with a knowing grin, "though I never succeeded in infiltrating Ba Sing Se, I have some old friends who can help."

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Later that night, when everyone else was asleep, Katara lay awake, unable to rest. It was one of those nights when sleep escaped her, no matter how tired she was and no matter how determined she was to get enough rest. Her mind simply would not leave her alone.

Making a noise of exasperation, the waterbender got up and decided to take a late night stroll. They had camped near a small river so she walked towards it. Being close to a source of her element always gave her great comfort and the moon was full that night so she felt very refreshed.

"Where do you think you're going, Sugar Queen?" a voice inquired from inside a rock tent.

"Just for a walk by the river," Katara replied with a smile, admiring the earthbender's keen senses, "I need to clear my head a bit."

"Oh, okay," Toph replied, still not bothering to get up, "just make sure you don't get kidnapped or anything."

"A waterbender beside a river," Katara answered sarcastically, "I'm not a very vulnerable target."

"Whatever you say," Toph waved her off nonchalantly.

Katara smiled and proceeded carefully, so as not to wake the others. She needn't have worried so much as Aang, Sokka, and Iroh were fast asleep. And Zuko was still unconscious.

She reached the river in matter of minutes and once by the bank, she took a deep breath, savoring the cool night breeze, and the surge of power she always felt under the full moon light. Only the soft night sounds of leaves rustling and insects chirping could be heard. All was at peace, belying the state of the world.

The waterbender stood still there for a few moments, lost in her thoughts and silently communicating her fears to the Moon Spirit, whom she was close to because of their previous acquaintance.

After several minutes, she decided that she wanted to be closer to the source of her power so she crossed the river, easily bending a bridge of ice, to a high rock formation on the other side which gave her a better view of her surroundings and brought her somehow closer to the night sky.

Katara stood there, not entirely certain of what she wanted, concerned about the future. She prayed for guidance and strength to overcome whatever obstacles may come their way.

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"…_come back to us…"_

These words, that voice, echoed repeatedly in his dreams until his eyes snapped open.

Zuko blinked for a few moments and tried to accustom himself to the darkness around him. He rubbed his head which was sore from lying down for too long and with great effort, he pulled himself up.

He noticed immediately that his wound had been tightly bandaged as a warm blanket slid off his lean figure. It was a struggle to stand since his limbs were numb from staying put for several days. Taking deep breaths, he labored until he was able to hold his balance. He shook his legs and stretched his muscles as he tried to get his body back to normal.

Aside from his injury, nothing else seemed to be wrong with him physically so he began the more arduous process of remembering and understanding where he was. His memory was hazy so it took a while before he recalled how he had come to be in that place. But the details were still a blur and all he could manage to recall was that he and his uncle had been rescued by the Avatar's group and they were now travelling with his former target.

The whole situation seemed absurd but he was fairly sure these were his current circumstances. And it wasn't as if strange things never happened to him anyway.

After some more stretching, Zuko was eager to go outside. He hated being idle and now his body yearned to recover all the activity that it had missed out on for more than a week. Carefully, he walked out of his tent and looked around the camp.

Slowly, so as not to wake his new companions, the firebender walked through the camp, taking stock of all the people he was with. He saw several sleeping human figures, the largest no doubt that of his uncle, as well as a rock tent, and the huge unmistakable, furry mass that was the Avatar's sky-bison. Supplies were strewn around as well as the remnants of a campfire.

After contemplating on this scene for a few moments, Zuko sighed, rubbing his head. He was still having trouble getting his bearings here. The rapid and drastic change of circumstances as well as his sojourn in unpleasant dreams was taking their toll on him. He needed to clear his head.

To his relief, he heard the rush of water nearby and decided to refresh himself. He followed the sound until he reached the river.

All this movement was not missed by the keenest observer of the camp. But when Zuko's movements did not indicate any trouble, Toph decided to leave him alone.

Besides, she thought with a sly grin, judging by the direction he's following, he's bound to bump into someone.

Zuko knelt by the bank and splashed some water on his face, feeling instantly invigorated. He also scooped some water and took a satisfying drink. He sighed contentedly, and then caught his reflection in the water.

The scar was still there and he looked the same as he did before, albeit thinner and more haggard. But he felt that so much in him had already changed, and he almost expected not to recognize himself.

"Zuko!"

His reverie was interrupted when he heard someone call his name. He looked up and golden eyes met blue as Zuko gazed the startled figure of the waterbender, standing on a rock across the river, bathed in moonlight.

Katara continued to stare in astonishment at the firebender, who had gotten to his feet without breaking their gaze. He said nothing and the expression on his face was hard to make out in the darkness. They both seemed at a loss for words, Katara especially since she had not expected to see him there. She had imagined his waking many times in many different ways and none had been even close to this. She was filled with surprise, relief, and slight apprehension.

They had not spoken since he had been injured and now she did not really know what to say to him. But when it became clear that he was not going to initiate any conversation, Katara decided to break the silence herself.

"Welcome back," she said softly, giving him a nervous but sincere smile.

He stared at her for a few moments before nodding.

"Thank you," he replied, and then, urged by a memory that had suddenly presented itself he added:

"Katara."


	6. Chapter 6

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: A lot of the events in the series will no longer take place in this story because of the drastic changes I've made. I've gotten rid of the annoying chapters about the Desert and though the Library was fascinating, in the long run, the invasion was bound to fail so it will no longer happen in this story. I hope you don't mind the liberties I've taken. But the Gaang will move on to Ba Sing Se (without losing Appa) and things will be interesting from there. Enjoy this chapter._

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"Uncle….you can let go of me now."

But it was still a few minutes before the excited uncle complied with his beloved nephew's request. Iroh was understandably thrilled and relieved to have Zuko awake again and he could not resist expressing his affection. The younger firebender was overwhelmed by such a reception but after the initial shock, Zuko smiled in understanding and returned the old man's embrace.

The others watched this long-awaited reunion with warm smiles. Even Sokka was in a good mood at the event and was unable to fire any sarcastic comments. He was well aware of Iroh's genuine love for his nephew and he didn't want to spoil the sweet moment. Aang and Katara were smiling widely as they watched the two, both relieved and excited about Zuko's awakening.

At length, Iroh was in command enough of his emotions to let his nephew go and they began the overdue process of acquainting Zuko with their current circumstances. First, Iroh introduced the members of the group to his nephew. Zuko already knew Aang, of course, and he had somehow remembered Katara's name so he was then introduced to Sokka (whom he only knew by sight and never really spoke to) and Toph.

"You've got a lot of catching up to do," the blind earthbender told him amicably.

"But you're going to have to give him the abridged version of our story," Sokka told Iroh, "Since we have to prepare for our trip to Ba Sing Se. Even on Appa, it's going to be quite a journey."

Zuko and Iroh nodded. The former was no stranger to urgent schedules and he was as eager as the others to be more active. He was still hesitant about his working alongside the Avatar but he was wise enough to keep his mouth shut. And the longer he listened to his uncle, the more he realized that he didn't have much choice in the matter. He was a fugitive from his country, whether or not he captured the Avatar, and after what he had seen during his travels and experienced during his confinement, he wasn't sure he wanted to go back the Fire Nation

Besides, though he had yet to admit it out loud, he felt peaceful among the Avatar and his friends, and more at ease than he had felt in a long time. Since the feeling was so alien to him, Zuko was slightly unsettled. He was not sure how this all had come about.

And whenever he had more doubts, he reminded himself that he owed them his life, especially the waterbender who had taken care of him despite his being a former enemy. He still could not understand how the Avatar and his friends could be so generous and compassionate to him, but he could not deny that he was grateful.

"I'm glad you finally took me up on my offer of being friends," Aang told Zuko cheerfully, "isn't this so much better than always fighting?"

"Yes, thank you," Zuko replied gravely.

Zuko then looked at the Avatar in astonishment, impressed and baffled by the trust and camaraderie in the young boy's eyes.

"You're really quiet, Zuko," Aang asked in concern, "Are you all right?"

"I just," the firebender began, "I still can't understand how you could be so kind to me after all that I've done. I owe you so much."

It was Aang's turn to be surprised. He looked at Katara who shrugged at him. It was too much in their nature so that they could not quite explain.

"You must excuse my nephew," Iroh said, "he isn't used to people showing so kindness and generosity to him."

"Uncle!" Zuko cried, clearly embarrassed by this. Katara smiled at him encouragingly, though she wasn't quite sure what to say to him at that point. Toph saved everyone the trouble of explaining.

"Well, you'd better get used to it," Toph said, cheerfully punching him in the back, "because that's how we roll."

Again, Zuko saw himself surrounded by smiling faces, although Sokka looked slightly impatient.

"But that doesn't mean you can take advantage of us though," the Water Tribe warrior warned, though his tone did not come out as menacing as he wanted it to be.

"SOKKA!" Toph, Katara, and Aang cried out as the earthbender slapped her forehead and the Avatar rolled his eyes.

Katara slapped her brother on the shoulder and he winced.

"What?" Sokka protested, "I was just saying."

"Well, I don't see why you have to be so negative about this," Katara scolded him, "and you're being really rude."

Zuko watched this exchange curiously. That the girl was so eager to come to his defense against her own brother was something that surprised him greatly.

"Don't worry," the young firebender spoke, interrupting what threatened to be a major Water Tribe sibling quarrel, "I have no intention of abusing your kindness. I will do whatever I can to make it up to you."

The others looked at him carefully, taking in the seriousness and determination in his face. Then, Aang grinned brightly.

"Great," the airbender said enthusiastically, "we're glad to have you in the group, Zuko!"

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Not long after this, the whole camp was in a flurry of activity as the group alternated between preparing for their long trip and continuing their training. They were all glad that Zuko was awake and well so that the travelling would not be such a hassle. There was still so much to do and they didn't want to waste any time. It was decided that there would be opportunities enough to rest and relax once they were safely behind the impenetrable walls of the greatest Earth Kingdom fortress city. But for the time being, they needed to work.

Sokka and Katara went to a nearby town to gather provisions for the journey while Aang and Toph continued their earthbending drills. The Avatar was growing more proficient in his earthbending and would soon be able to handle Iroh's advanced firebending lessons. Meanwhile, Zuko had resumed his own firebending training with his uncle.

The younger firebender was determined to get back into shape after being inactive for so long. His body still needed more warming up and he wanted to be ready for anything. Somehow, he felt refreshed and invigorated after his long sleep and in spite of his injury. He was no longer as angry or somber as he used to be and this raising of his spirits helped to improve his firebending as well.

Though Zuko couldn't explain what was happening to him, Iroh already understood. The older firebender felt a surge of pride at the positive change his nephew was showing. He had tried for years to help Zuko get rid of his doubts and fears, and to let go of the rage that constantly bogged him down. And now that Iroh was seeing this dream coming true, he knew that he could not take too much credit for Zuko's improvement.

"I'm sure that this is all the Avatar's influence and that of his friends as well," Iroh thought to himself, and he felt greatly relieved and proud.

And though it seemed almost cruel to think so, Iroh was grateful that Zuko had been injured by Azula. If not for what happened, Zuko would never have been convinced to join the Avatar.

Iroh could still sense some lingering doubts in Zuko's mind but he was confident that the longer time his nephew spent with the Avatar (and as far away from his cruel father and crazy sister), the more Zuko would understand what he was always meant to do.

"He'll come around soon enough," Iroh thought, "and he will be so much the better for it."

As willing as the others were to trust and welcome Zuko, Iroh could not take it against them if they also had their doubts about him. One day, Sokka approached the old man hesitantly. Iroh was not surprised and waited for the Water Tribe boy to speak.

Sokka was eying Zuko slightly suspiciously as the latter offered to help Katara carry some supplies. The firebender had not shown any signs of treachery since he had woken up but he wasn't exactly warming to them either. Sokka did not want to let his guard down that easily until he could be sure that Zuko wasn't up to something.

"No offense or anything," Sokka began shyly but sincerely, and Iroh already knew what he was going to say, "But can we really trust him?"

"I understand your concern," the old firebender replied, "but I am confident that he will not abandon us."

"But you said yourself that he even left you once when he didn't agree with you," Sokka continued stubbornly, "what would prevent him from going off again?"

"His travels alone and his injury have helped clear his mind of useless things, I think," Iroh answered calmly, "and he's seen the benefits of traveling in a group that supports and accepts him for who he is. He isn't used to it but though he will never admit it out loud, I can see that he's enjoying himself."

Seeing that Sokka still looked doubtful, Iroh sighed and decided to bring out his strongest line of defense so far.

"And whatever else tempts or compels him to leave," the old firebender said, "I am certain that his strong sense of honor will prevent him."

"What do you mean?" Sokka asked, "Doesn't his honor depend on his getting Aang?"

"That's the warped reasoning his father wanted him to believe for so long," Iroh explained, "but he doesn't believe that as much as he did, and he always had a very strong sense of justice which sometimes gets him in trouble."

The two men turned their gaze to Zuko who was nodding at something Aang was telling him. He was certainly not cheerful but he wasn't hostile either.

"He knows that he owes you all his life," Iroh continued, "Katara especially. And he will not betray you because he is still so greatly indebted. His morality binds him to do this much."

Sokka frowned before nodding. It made sense, he had to admit.

"Thanks for that," he told Iroh sincerely, looking a little less worried.

"No problem," the old man replied with a grin.

Meanwhile, the subject of their conversation was still busy trying to make himself useful to the group.

"Let me help you with that, Katara," he volunteered as he took a heavy package from the waterbender.

"Thanks," Katara replied, still slightly rattled at hearing him speak her name.

It wasn't the first instance he had called her but every time he did, she felt slightly different, a reaction she couldn't quite explain. Just the sound of his voice as he spoke to her, no longer the loud, harsh tones he used to have when addressing them, but a softer, calmer voice, all of this was so fascinating to her. They had not had an opportunity for a long conversation since Aang and Toph were always competing for Zuko's attention because they were also amused with him.

And when he spoke to Katara, he was always polite and concise. He never mentioned if he had heard her speak to him while he was unconscious and she wasn't quite ready to ask him about that. She was too embarrassed and half hoped he didn't remember anything.

She admired how diligent he was in doing chores, and how seriously he took every task. She was glad to have another serious person in the group at last. But she was also concerned that he was taking things too seriously.

"Don't strain yourself too much," she warned him as he impressively carried several bags and loaded them easily on Appa's back.

"I'm not," he replied, "This is nothing. And I need to make myself useful around here."

"Believe me," Katara said with a laugh, "you've been more useful in one day than Sokka has been all throughout our trip."

Sokka was not in earshot and even if he were, Katara would not take those words back. To her relief, she saw Zuko's lips curve in a small smile.

"Still," he said seriously, "I have to make it up to you for saving my life."

The topic was one he brought up often, and though Katara appreciated his gratitude, she wished that he would loosen up a bit about it.

"Zuko," she said gently, "we don't expect anything in return for helping you."

"But how can I possibly thank you for what you've done?" he continued earnestly.

"You've thanked me enough, believe me," she replied with an encouraging smile.

To her surprise, he shook his head.

"Not the way I see it," he answered.

Before Katara could respond to this, Sokka was asking everyone to board Appa immediately. They were all packed and ready to go. In the flurry of activity that followed, Katara did not have another chance to speak to Zuko. She sighed and hoped that she would be able to talk to him more in Ba Sing Se.

"Everybody ready?" Aang asked cheerfully.

"Ugh, flying and a big city," Toph complained, "yippee."

"I've double checked everything," Katara announced, "and I think we're good to go."

"Great," the Avatar said excitedly, "Appa, yip yip!"

"Onward to Ba Sing Se!" Sokka cried out eagerly, his finger pointing to the horizon.


	7. Chapter 7

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: I hope you like my take on what is going to happen in Ba Sing Se starting in this chapter. It took a while for me to figure out the direction this story was going to take but now I have a clearer vision of how it plays out until the end. And I'm excited to write the next chapters. This will definitely be longer than I initially planned. So I hope you enjoy the ride._

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"We're here at last," Aang said in awe as Appa hovered in the sky, giving the group a magnificent view of the sprawling city below them.

From above, all of the sky-bison's passengers except Toph looked over and gaped at the intricate maze of walls and structures that formed the famed Earth Kingdom fortress city of Ba Sing Se.

Iroh, in particular, marveled at the unique view and mused on the last time he visited that great city, though admittedly it was not a very pleasant memory. It had been many years since his unsuccessful siege and yet he felt thrilled at this fateful visit. And he was glad that he was going to visit the great city under more favorable circumstances. He was not a conqueror today, but a tourist, and this notion pleased him greatly.

Even Zuko who was more than used to grand structures and bustling metropolises, could not help but be impressed by the architectural and cultural wonder that was before him. He stared at the city in fascination and wondered what awaited them when they entered it.

"You'll have to drop me off somewhere outside the gates, just as we planned," Iroh reminded them, "no doubt the sentinels of the city have already spotted your sky bison and they will be preparing a welcome party for the Avatar very soon. Your arrival has already been anticipated."

"And while we arrange things with the Earth King, you will contact your friends in that secret society of yours, right?" Sokka said, reminding the others of the plan.

Iroh nodded gravely but could not hide a small smile. He was looking forward to seeing his old friends again and embarking on another grand quest for the Order. The younger generation would never understand the value of the society but at least they had agreed for him to go. They trusted him greatly and he was grateful.

Appa landed on a fairly secluded spot and the group said their goodbye's to the old firebender.

"I'll join you all again at the appointed time, don't worry," Iroh reassured them as he took his packed belongings and wore a cloak and hat to disguise his appearance.

"We trust you," Aang told him, "and we look forward to meeting your friends."

"Oh, I'm sure you'll get along just fine with them," the old man said with a mysterious wink. Aang merely laughed at this and expressed his excitement about it.

The old man then turned to his nephew. Zuko had long known of the plan and reluctantly agreed with it. Both he and Iroh knew that it would be a bit strange for him to be alone with the Avatar's group even though they had already been travelling together for some time. Iroh had his doubts and yet he also believed that this was a necessary change for Zuko and a valuable chance for the young man to prove his worth to his new friends, one in particular. Iroh chided himself for having too many ulterior motives but then argued that he was only trying to push his nephew in the direction of what would make him happy.

And yet, for all that, Iroh still felt pained at being separated from the beloved nephew he looked up to as a son. And he knew that Zuko felt the same. So as uncomfortable as their parting was, they tried to make light of it. But it was still clear to the others how much these two firebenders cared for each other.

So Aang and the others gave the two some moments in privacy to say their proper good-bye's.

Iroh squeezed Zuko's shoulder affectionately and smiled at him.

"Take care of yourself, Uncle," Zuko said with a small smile.

"You too," Iroh replied, trying not to be overcome by his emotions, "and don't forget all you've learned these past days."

"I won't," Zuko answered seriously. Iroh nodded, before raising his head and addressing the others.

"If he tries to do anything stupid," the old man announced, "feel free to beat him up as you see fit!"

"Uncle!" Zuko protested in embarrassment as Aang and the others laughed.

"Don't worry about him," Toph called back, "he's no match for all three of us!"

"Actually, Toph," Sokka interrupted, raising a finger to point something out.

"Oh, sorry," the earthbender corrected herself with a mischievous grin, "I meant us three benders and Sokka."

"TOPH!" Sokka cried in exasperation.

"Calm down, Sokka," Katara said, putting a hand on her brother's shoulder, "get over it."

Zuko and Iroh exchanged a knowing glance, and then the old man gave his nephew a final embrace before saying goodbye and disappearing behind some bushes. Iroh knew that his nephew was in good hands.

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"Welcome to Ba Sing Se, Avatar Aang. My name is Joo Dee and I will be your guide around the city."

Aang and the others stared back at the strange woman with the suspiciously wide grin who greeted them upon their landing at the entrance of the city.

"We must apologize for such a hasty welcoming party," Joo Dee continued, "for your arrival was very sudden and we did not have enough time to prepare for it."

"Don't worry about it," Aang said cheerfully though he and the others could not help but notice the grand carriage that had been waiting for them and various other arrangements that had been "hastily" drawn out for them.

"We heard about your companions Katara, Sokka, and Toph," Joo Dee said, "but it seems that we missed out on one."

"Oh, this is Lee, a new friend I made along my travels," Aang introduced Zuko hastily; "he's with us."

Joo Dee looked slightly nervously at Zuko but nodded and proceeded with showing the group around.

"I think she bought it," Katara whispered to the group as they entered the carriage slowly.

They had decided that it was not yet time to reveal to the world that they were travelling with the Fire Lord's banished son. There were so many explanations that had to be given and it would complicate matters. The plan was to reveal Zuko once Aang had settled things with the Earth King. For now, he would be "Lee".

"You couldn't come up with a more creative alias?" Sokka whispered to the firebender. The Water Tribe warrior was still slightly wary of their new companion but since Zuko had not done anything suspicious since he had woken up, Sokka could not accuse him of anything. And though he would never admit it, Sokka kind of enjoyed having another guy close to his age in the group (though he often felt that Zuko was too serious and too similar to Katara in this respect).

"There are a million Lee's all over the place," Zuko explained, "the name won't attract any attention."

"It will serve our purposes until we figure out something to do," Katara explained.

And since Zuko was dressed in Earth Kingdom clothes, he didn't exactly stand out. Of course, there was the matter of his scar and eyes, but the group was still relying on the idea that people would not believe that the Avatar would be travelling with someone who had been trying to hunt him down for years. They didn't know how long the masquerade would keep up but they were hoping it would last long enough.

The next problem they had to deal with was telling their guide how urgently they needed to speak with the Earth King. She went about giving them a tour of the city, either ignoring their questions or rapidly changing the subject. It frustrated Sokka greatly but even he knew that there was no way to force the issue yet.

"There is protocol that needs to be followed here in Ba Sing Se," she explained at one point, "an order that has been maintained for many years, and one that has kept our city safe and prosperous."

Aang looked at his friends with a raised eyebrow. They all silently agreed that the "prosperity" of Ba Sing Se was relative, judging from the strict social hierarchy it maintained with its walls. The city was filled with refugees, all seeking a security, even if it meant living in abject poverty.

"The war is still here," Zuko thought gravely, "even if there are no soldiers or battles."

At length, they were shown to their new living quarters and Joo Dee mentioned something about processing their request for an audience with the Earth King.

"We can make an exception in your case since you are the Avatar and your concern seems to be very urgent," she said professionally.

"Finally," Sokka said in relief.

"So you can probably meet the Earth King as soon as next month," Joo Dee said.

At this, all their spirits fell. But they now knew better than to express their disappointment and quickly thanked their guide. They were all eager to get rid of her as soon as possible.

As soon as they settled into their new house, the group began to discuss their plans. (Although Aang did express a hankering to explore the city.)

Before they started talking, Zuko walked around the house, looking out the door carefully and closing all the windows. He inspected the furniture and scrutinized every inch of the place before pacing back and forth restlessly. Sokka and Aang stared at him and then looked at each other and shrugged. Toph was still and looked uncharacteristically pensive.

"Zuko, what's wrong?" Katara asked in concern.

"Shhh, I'm Lee, remember?" he reminded her.

"Sorry," she answered, slightly annoyed at his tone, "I don't think anyone heard us. You locked all the doors and closed the windows."

"Sorry but we can't be too careful," he explained gravely, "there must be spies all over the city, and I'm sure that this place was chosen for us so that they can keep us under surveillance."

"But who are 'they'?" Aang asked innocently, "they shouldn't have to worry about us. We're here to help them."

"We're on their side now," Sokka added, "maybe you're forgetting that."

"Sokka!" Katara scolded her brother with a stern frown.

"I haven't forgotten that, Sokka," Zuko answered tersely, "but even you must have noticed how we've been treated since we arrived here. No one will look at us straight in the face except that weird guide of ours. And even she won't give us proper answers. She's hiding something, I know it."

"Are you always this paranoid?" Sokka asked in a slightly teasing tone.

Zuko frowned at him.

"And why are you being so optimistic about the situation, for once?" Katara argued, in Zuko's defense. She was still annoyed at the obvious distrust her brother still showed to the firebender.

"I'm being observant," Zuko replied curtly, stopping himself from adding "as you ought to be."

"He's right, Sokka," Toph said suddenly, her tone very serious, "I felt it too, as soon as we entered this crazy place."

"Thank you," Zuko said, glad to have someone on his side on the matter

"People shuffling their feet, careful to get away as fast as they can," Toph continued, "the streets that you think are deserted are full of shadowy figures lurking behind every corner. I can feel it all even if you can't see it. This city is full of secrets."

"There really does seem to be something suspicious about this whole place," Katara added, "something doesn't feel right, somehow. It's ironic that there's more fear here in supposedly the safest place on the Earth Kingdom. Everyone seems to be afraid of something, or someone."

Aang listened to all this intently, pondering on every point carefully. And he could not help but agree with his friends' observations. He was uncomfortable in Ba Sing Se, and felt that there were too many mysteries hidden in the walled city.

"Well, what do we do now?" Sokka asked, not wanting to be further left out of the discussion.

"One thing's for sure," Katara answered, "we can't wait for a month before meeting with the Earth King."

"Yeah," Aang agreed, "we'll have to find a way to overstep their protocols. After all, this is a matter of global importance. But we have to be able to plan this in secret."

"That's where I come in," Toph volunteered proudly, "don't worry, I can detect the presence of spies from miles away. I bet they didn't expect you to have such a more effective radar system – me."

"We are lucky to have you," Aang said with a grin, "whoever's trying to stand in our way, they're no match for us all."

They resumed their discussion in hushed tones but the mood had grown much lighter. They quickly let go of the sense of comfort they wanted to feel within the city.

"Clearly someone doesn't want the Avatar to be here or to be able to speak to the Earth King," Zuko said grimly, "and the sooner we find out who that is, the easier it will be to plan our strategy."

The group looked at him and nodded in agreement. This was no time for them to let their guard down.

The longer they stayed in Ba Sing Se, the more the Avatar and his friends couldn't shake off the feeling that they were about to walk into a whole mess of danger.


	8. Chapter 8

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: I apologize for the delay but this is the longest chapter yet so I hope you will enjoy it._

_And the delay isn't my entire fault as I've had trouble signing in to this site for a couple of weeks. I wanted to post but I couldn't access my account. Anyway._

_A lot happens in this chapter and I hope that this will keep you guys satisfied for more than a week. I have to report that this story will definitely be on hiatus next week as I will be devoting myself to ZUTARA WEEK 2011. It's my fourth year in a row as a participant and I will be posting a short one-shot every day (and possibly a short chapter fic, updated daily). If any of you are interested in my entries, please do leave reviews._

_I'm not abandoning this story though and I'll be updating again after that epic event._

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"Let's explore the city!"

Not even the threat of an unnamed danger could quell the Avatar's insatiable thirst for adventure. After a long series of serious discussions, Aang was exhausted and decided that they all deserved a break.

"There's only so much planning we can do with such limited information," he told them, "we need to investigate our situation more, so we need to go out and find more information."

This, of course, was merely his excuse for exploring the fascinating city they were living in. The airbender grinned when he saw that his friends were agreeing with him though Zuko still looked slightly apprehensive. Aang was tempted to tell the firebender to lighten up but he knew that this might only provoke another series of arguments.

"Aang's right," Sokka agreed enthusiastically, "since we don't know exactly what we're up against, we need to see what might be out there."

"I don't think going out and looking for trouble is the best way of dealing with this," Zuko said hesitantly.

"We're not going to look for trouble," Aang replied, "we're going to find out how to best avoid it."

"Just say that you don't want to stay cooped up here all day," Toph said loudly, "you're all bored and I know it."

The others could not deny this.

"Besides, it would be good to look around the city," Katara suggested, "we can learn more about how things work here and we might make a few friends too."

"It's decided then," Sokka said excitedly, "we're going to explore the city today!"

Aang gave a loud cheer to this.

"Maybe it would be best if we split up so we can cover more ground," the airbender suggested.

His other motive for this, of course, was to be able to do whatever he wanted without the constant supervision of his friends. He loved them all dearly and knew that they were only looking out for him but he wanted a bit more freedom to have fun.

"Right, sounds like a good idea," Toph agreed, also eager to be away from the group even for a while. As much as she liked them, she missed being on her own.

Sokka's brow was knitted in thought and Katara and Zuko looked at each other and shrugged. They sometimes forgot that they were still kids, after all.

"Great," Aang piped cheerfully, heading towards the door, "let's go!"

"Wait a minute," Sokka said, causing Aang to drop his shoulders in dismay.

"What now?" Toph asked, voicing Aang's exasperation.

The Water Tribe warrior approached Aang and whispered (ineffectively since everyone could hear him anyway), "Maybe one of us should keep an eye on Zuko."

"I heard that," came the voice of the firebender in question as he glared at Sokka and folded his arms across his chest.

"Are you serious, Sokka?" Aang cried in exasperation, "How can you say such a thing?"

"You're being very rude and overly paranoid," Katara scolded, "and it's unfair to Zuko."

"You should really stop being a jerk," Toph added sharply.

The firebender in question simply glared silently at his indirect accuser. Zuko stood with his arms folded and waited patiently for some sort of verdict. Aang looked at him apologetically and Sokka seemed slightly embarrassed over his actions.

As annoyed as he was by the water tribe boy's continuing mistrust of him, Zuko appreciated that the others were quick to come to his defense and he did not want to cause any further tension in the group. He could see that a grand argument was about to erupt so he interrupted quickly.

"Listen," the firebender began diplomatically, "for what it's worth, I don't want to be wandering around this city alone, anyway. This place gives me the creeps and I already explained why. I don't mind someone accompanying me around but I'd appreciate it if I wasn't expected to betray you at any given moment."

Aang sighed with relief as he heard this and Toph grinned, knowing in advance who was more eager to volunteer to be Zuko's companion.

For before Sokka could even suggest himself, Katara stepped forward determinedly and also a bit shyly. She was blushing slightly but she hid the rest of her emotions well enough.

"I'll go with you," she said, "because I trust you and not because I want to keep an eye on you."

Zuko nodded while Sokka looked incredulously at his sister. But after a sharp glare from Katara, the brother decided not to press the issue further. Aang was happy at how things turned out and took the opportunity to finally leave and explore the city.

Sokka wanted to avoid his sister's fury so he left as well. Zuko excused himself and went to prepare some of his things, leaving the two girls together. As soon as the firebender was out of earshot, Toph gave Katara a sharp nudge.

"Ow!" exclaimed the waterbender, "what was that for?"

"I can see what you're doing," Toph teased, "and I'm supposed to be the blind one around here?"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Katara replied, looking away.

"Please, Katara," Toph said, "you know I can tell that you're lying."

Katara sighed.

"I guess there's no point trying to hide anything from you," she conceded.

"There really isn't," Toph agreed matter of fact-ly.

"You must think I'm out of my mind or desperate or something," Katara cried out, raising her hands in exasperation with herself.

"I think you're pathetic," Toph said, earning a glare from the waterbender, "but I don't really blame you."

"Well, I don't know what I'm doing really," Katara said somberly, "but what I do know is that I want to spend more time with him, to get to know him better. I doubt he feels the same though."

"Well, I would know if he did," Toph remarked nonchalantly.

Katara's eyes widened and she turned expectantly to the earthbender who shook her head immediately.

"Ha! As I would ever tell you what I know," Toph teased with a mischievous grin, "it's so more fun for me this way."

Katara was about to force Toph to reveal what she knew when she was interrupted by Zuko's arrival.

"Well," he said, "ready to go?"

Katara blinked for a few moments before regaining her bearings.

"Yeah, sure," she replied, purposely ignoring Toph on the way out. Zuko raised an eyebrow at this strange behavior but said nothing.

"Have fun, you two!" the earthbender called out sweetly to the acute embarrassment of one and the great puzzlement of the other.

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They walked in silence for several minutes, each one lost in his or her thoughts. Since they had no destination in mind, they simply passed various streets, turning here and there and just taking in the sights of the grand city.

Both were restless, Zuko because he wasn't used to being a tourist; Katara because she was suddenly nervous about being alone with Zuko. For his part, Zuko had no suspicion of her interest and merely attributed her silence to a reluctant tolerance of his presence. Perhaps she was tired of being so friendly to him and he couldn't blame her for it. He was not the most animated companion.

At length they both decided that they couldn't stay silent forever, so Zuko initiated a conversation.

"Listen, Katara," he began, much to her surprise, "I'm sorry for the trouble I've caused and for inconveniencing you by demanding your company. I suppose you'd prefer to be somewhere else right now."

"No, I'm perfectly happy where I am now," she answered avidly, and he mistook her sincerity for politeness.

"Really, I have no intention of betraying you or the others after all you've done for me," Zuko continued gravely.

Katara realized that he had mistaken her hesitation and silence for resentment. So she resolved to clear up this issue even if it meant for her to speak more openly to him. She needed to get over her shyness.

"Zuko, I've already told you that I trust you completely," she reassured him, "and so do Aang and Toph. Sokka's just being stubborn and paranoid but I'm sure he'll come around soon enough."

Zuko nodded.

"You don't need to apologize for anything, you've not caused us any trouble," she continued, "in fact, I think I should apologize to you, on my brother's behalf, for the abominable way he's been treating you."

This surprised and embarrassed the firebender greatly.

"Katara, there's no need for that," he protested, "After how I treated you before, it's perfectly understandable."

Now, all this reference to the painful past was growing tedious to Katara and she decided to put an end to it at that very moment.

"I've told you time and again that we've forgotten all about that already," she argued.

"But I can't forget," Zuko replied, "How can I?"

"I really don't want to talk about it anymore," Katara protested, "can you promise me that you will at least try to put it all behind you so that we can both start afresh, not burdened by the past?"

Zuko stared at her incredulously and saw the seriousness of her request reflected in the oceans of her eyes. He owed so much to her. He should at least try harder to acquiesce to her request.

"I'm sorry," he said gravely, "I promise."

And to his surprise, she faced him with a smile before putting her arms around him in a friendly embrace. He returned the gesture hesitantly.

"I'm glad," she whispered to him, and he found himself smiling too.

The rest of the time they spent together passed more pleasantly. They were both still on their guard for possible spies so they were careful about mentioning Aang or any of their plans. After a while, it wasn't so difficult to evade serious topics as they began to enjoy their sightseeing.

Ba Sing Se, after all, was more fascinating than it was menacing. The two benders enjoyed spending time doing a myriad of fun activities running errands, shopping (or rather Zuko accompanying Katara as she shopped), trying new foods, strolling through parks, and watching lively entertainments. Zuko was always careful not to give away his true identity and was soon acting superbly as any regular Earth Kingdom "Lee."

They returned to their home relatively relaxed and amused by all they had seen and heard. And to Katara's delight, everyone else in the group had had a lot of fun on their day out – even Sokka who recounted something about a poetry club where he had allegedly demonstrated his great skill.

All this diversion had lessened the tension greatly in the group and they were able to swap stories with one another on the interesting things they had seen or done during the day. There was no sign of danger yet and no threats had yet manifested so Aang suggested that they relish the opportunity to enjoy themselves for as long as they could.

They heard a few times from Iroh through messages discreetly delivered to them. He would only say that he was well and that he would join them soon. So they didn't worry.

The Avatar was also glad to see that Zuko and Katara were getting along very well, and that Sokka had called a ceasefire on his campaign of mistrust towards the firebender. He was relieved that he need not yet worry about the fate of the whole world and that he could spend some well-deserved rest and fun time with Appa and Momo, and occasionally Toph.

Zuko found that he enjoyed Katara's company immensely and when she didn't complain about him accompanying her all the time, he took it as encouragement. The group spent nearly two weeks immersing themselves in the culture of the city. Of course, they still met every day to refine and revise their plans. But somehow, they weren't as nervous as they used to be.

Katara also suggested that engaging in a casual lifestyle such as they were doing kept them above suspicion of doing serious investigations or starting a rebellion. They acted like regular tourists so that no would suspect that they were trying to save the world. And this form of disguise was fun for all of them to do.

And Aang also suggested that they wait for a message from Iroh before they did anything rash and the whole group heartily agreed with his decision. So they were free to gather as much information as they could while also amusing themselves in the city.

On one of their trips, Katara finally broached the subject of what Zuko remembered during his confinement.

He had grown more comfortable speaking and spending time with Katara so that she believed that she could finally ask him what had been bothering her for so long. She tried to be as casual as she could about it but couldn't help showing her curiosity.

"Zuko, what do you remember from when you were unconscious?" Katara asked him directly, apprehensive of whatever answer he might give.

For his part, Zuko had to pause for a few moments to consult his memory on the matter. He wondered why she asked him about this all of a sudden but he knew he owed her the truth, even though he wasn't sure of the truth himself.

"I don't remember everything right away," he began, "but I get bits and pieces every now and then, words and images and things like that."

"Oh," Katara replied, not sure if she was relieved or disappointed, "like what? If you don't mind my asking."

Zuko frowned, uncertain of how much he wanted to talk about. But he urged himself to go on, out of respect for Katara.

"Well, certain memories from my childhood and some unpleasant events in the Fire Nation which I don't really care to dwell upon," he started gravely.

"Of course, of course," Katara replied in embarrassment, "I understand why you wouldn't want to remember painful experiences. Forget it. Forget I even asked you anything."

"But it wasn't all unpleasant," Zuko said thoughtfully.

Katara's eyes widened hopefully and she only managed to whisper, "Really?"

Zuko closed his eyes for a few moments, struggling to remember the bursts of light in the darkness of his dreams. Katara waited in suspense.

"And again, I owe those brief moments of happiness to you, Katara," Zuko said suddenly. His eyes widened as he realized what he had just said and he blushed slightly.

Katara reacted similarly, her face growing red. They turned away from each other in embarrassment.

"What do you mean?" Katara asked nervously.

"I heard all that you said to me while I was sick, every word," Zuko explained, "I don't remember all of it now but I remember that your voice brought me so much comfort in the midst of all the nightmares and painful memories, and I am so grateful to you for making all those terrible nights tolerable for me."

"I-I'm glad I was able to help you," Katara replied shyly, feeling her heart swell up from his profuse expression of gratitude. She had never expected all her emotional silliness to be taken this well. A part of her wanted to hope for more but she quelled this urge immediately. It would not do to get ahead of herself.

"Thank you, Katara," Zuko said again, putting a hand on her shoulder, "I really don't know what I've done to deserve such kindness from you."

"Zuko, stop putting yourself down," Katara answered, keenly aware of his hand on her shoulder, "you're a better person than you realize, and I've seen proof of it recently. Even just seeing you take the blow for your uncle was enough to convince me then that I might have misjudged you. And I know now that you're so different from the Zuko who was constantly chasing us around. I now know that you've been through so much, and yet you've always tried to do what you believed is right."

Zuko was not sure how to react to such praise. He had heard similar things said by his uncle but to be seen in such high estimation by someone else, by someone who had previously viewed him as an enemy was beyond his comprehension. He did not know what else to say so he simply repeated, "Thank you, Katara."

But those simple words had been uttered with such sincerity and earnestness that Katara found it more than enough. She was relieved and pleased that what had she had always envisioned as an uncomfortable conversation turned out way, way better than she had expected.

Katara smiled warmly at Zuko and they proceeded with the errands they needed to do for the day.

Soon, not even Sokka bothered to ask why Zuko and Katara were always working together. Everyone saw clearly how close the two had gotten during their stay in Ba Sing Se, and no one wanted to disrupt a budding friendship.

Sokka still had lingering doubts but he could not deny that Katara would never allow herself to be in the presence of someone so long if he was a bad character. The brother figured that she had long learned her lesson from their encounter with Jet. And it helped knowing that she had not been enamored with Zuko from the very beginning.

But if she could find it in herself to forgive their former enemy and even befriend him, Sokka decided that he ought to do so as well.

Aang, for his part, was also quite fond of Zuko as he learned more about him. He wasn't as jealous as he thought he would be and in fact, found that he even approved of the friendship with Katara. He could see that they complemented each other and worked very well together.

Toph, of course, was enjoying herself immensely as all her suspicions came true. She relished every opportunity to tease Katara about what was happening and to drop subtle hints to Zuko as well.

They were all glad that nothing untoward had happened to them yet, and their petition to get an audience with the Earth King was being processed. They did not let their guard down much but they were productive enough in those days to be able to afford some time off to visit tea houses, watch shows at the theatre, and to generally enjoy themselves as they had not been able to do for a long time.

But Toph and Aang conspired together to get Sokka away from Zuko and Katara. The two young benders noticed that Sokka was becoming suspicious in a different way and no longer because Zuko was the son of the Fire Lord. His protective older brother instincts had begun to kick in and he was purposefully throwing himself between the two, sometimes even spending time with Zuko just to split them up.

Katara was annoyed by these attempts while Zuko was just confused by the Water Tribe boy's behavior. Unfortunately for Sokka, Aang and Toph were on to him and with their powers combined, they were successfully able to divert his attention from his sister and her new friend.

One time, Toph even confronted Sokka about his overly paranoid behavior.

"Do you really still think that he isn't good enough for her?" the earthbender asked him exasperatedly.

"Honestly? I don't think anyone's ever going to be good enough for her," Sokka replied, "She is my sister, after all."

"Sokka, stop being an idiot," Toph chided, and Sokka was taken aback by such a reaction.

"I know you know that he's one of the few decent guys from the generation of jerks who populate this planet," Toph argued, "even if he is a firebender, and in spite of the fact that he's the Fire Lord's son. He could have turned out worse, a lot worse."

"I guess, you're right," Sokka gave in with a sight, "I was just being paranoid, as usual. She's my only sister, you know?"

"Yeah, I get it," Toph replied sympathetically, "but you shouldn't get so worked up about this. They haven't decided on anything serious yet. Though I can feel that there's something between them, they've only just decided to be good friends. So you shouldn't worry too much about it. We've got a whole bunch of other problems to think about."

"That's true," Sokka agreed, "and if someday, she makes her choice, I guess I'm going to have to live with it."

"Stop being a drama queen, Sokka," Toph teased, "I know that you would have so much fun with him. Even you must admit that you enjoy hanging out with him now, don't you?"

"Hmmmm…maybe a little bit," he conceded reluctantly.

"Ha! I can tell you're lying," the earthbender teased mercilessly.

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So, the Avatar and his friends continued in this pleasant, almost relaxing manner, getting much needed rest and conserving their energy for what they all knew would be a grand struggle in the near future. They were determined to make the most out of what little tranquil time they had together before they would plunge into battle once more.

One quiet evening, Zuko and Katara took a leisurely stroll around their favorite quarters of the walled city. It was a peaceful area, often deserted, but with a lovely view of the starlit sky. There was a full moon that night and Katara was feeling particularly brave, as she always felt as her waterbending power swelled within her.

They stood quietly, breathing in the cool air deeply, both benders lost in thought. Some vague memory came to them of a duel they had at the North Pole but they shrugged it off easily. The circumstances were so different now and they bore no hard feelings towards each other for that turbulent time.

Both of them were feeling uncharacteristically carefree, perhaps as a result of all the serious planning they had been doing during the week, as well as all the training they had had to do with Aang. The Avatar's firebending lessons had continued, albeit in secret. Both Zuko and Aang welcomed the challenge readily because they both had to learn to control their elements more strictly, limiting themselves to manipulating candle flames and other smaller, discreet forms of fire.

Zuko managed a quick and discreet display of his firebending that moment by lighting a couple of lamps on the path he and Katara were strolling on.

"Impressive," Katara said with a smile, "I hardly even saw you move."

"I've had a lot of practice," Zuko answered modestly.

"Well," Katara said, an idea suddenly flashing before her, "what about trying something you haven't had practice in?"

"What do you mean?" Zuko asked, raising an eyebrow suspiciously.

"Tell a joke," Katara challenged, her eyes shining mischievously.

Zuko was taken aback by this strange request and he laughed a bit before acquiescing it.

"Well, you're certainly right about my inexperience there," he conceded, "Uncle was always good at things like that. But I guess I'll give it a try."

He jogged his memory for some of the jokes his uncle used to tell with great aplomb. The firebender made a few awkward but admirable attempts at starting jokes but he could never deliver them well enough. He would either forget the punch line or forget the question leading up to it.

Katara was gracious enough to laugh when he tried but after a while, she could not help but giggle at his failed attempts. Zuko was not offended and soon found himself laughing with her.

"Don't worry, I'm no better than you in that area," she said reassuringly, "Sokka was always the funny one in the family."

At this, she proved her words by making even more miserable attempts at humor. Zuko could not resist chuckling

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "I guess comedy isn't our strongest suit."

"Another thing we have in common, then," Katara admitted, and they both burst into laughter again at the ridiculousness of their situation.

They continued in this manner for a few minutes, swapping silly stories, and other pleasantries and generally just enjoying each other's company.

"It's so strange," Zuko said at length, "to be laughing like this after being serious for so long."

"I know," Katara said, "it's most invigorating."

"I guess it's weird because I've never done anything like this with anyone before," Zuko said gravely.

Katara said nothing but gave him a warm smile. He returned it easily. They stood beside each other, simply enjoying the view of the stars.

"You know, I can't remember ever…," Zuko began, gazing at the sky thoughtfully.

"Having this much fun?" Katara suggested with a grin.

"Being this happy," he finished.

Katara was speechless for a few moments, a profound expression on her face as she looked at him. Something seemed to dawn on her at that very moment.

"Me too," she replied with a smile, taking his hand in hers.


	9. Chapter 9

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: I know, I know. It's been too long. And I apologize profusely. You already know that I had to post stuff during Zutara week and then after that, my schedule just went haywire._

_In my defense, I was busy moving and adapting to a new environment. I just left my country to take my Masters in Paris (where I am currently living) so it was a long and complicated process of adjustment. I am settled in now (though I also have tons of school work) and I assure you that the updates will come frequently. I intend to complete this story before the year ends (I shall endeavor to finish it by November) so fear not! We're more than halfway through and the excitement has just begun. _

_Thanks for your continued support and I hope that you enjoy this chapter._

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"It's a trap."

The Avatar and his friends stared suspiciously at the small piece of parchment that lay on the table in the center of their new house. They contemplated its contents gravely and all agreed that the message was not to be trusted.

The invitation had arrived early that morning, delivered by an official looking messenger straight from the palace of the Earth King himself. The event was a grand feast in honor of the king's favorite pet bear and the Avatar and his friends were expected as special guests of honor – along with the bear.

As glad as they were that they would finally have an audience with the king to discuss alliance plans and such, Aang and his friends did not find the invitation, well, inviting. Why would the Earth King suddenly be aware of their presence and eager to welcome them so publicly?

Of course, some of them tried to be optimistic.

"Maybe he's finally come to his senses," Katara suggested, "and realizes the importance of speaking with the Avatar in this time of great need. We should give him some credit."

"Yeah, he probably understands that we should be exempted from his long and tedious protocols," Aang added hopefully.

But Toph, Zuko, and Sokka were not convinced and their brows were furrowed skeptically.

"I don't know," Zuko said hesitantly, "there's something really suspicious about this whole thing though I can't quite put my finger on it.

Ever the skeptic, Sokka agreed with the firebender.

"I'd have to agree with you too," Toph added, "I just really don't trust these Ba Sing Se bureaucrats. And what about the timing of this invitation, huh? It's all pretty suspicious to me."

Sokka nodded vigorously with approval.

Seeing the coalition of doubters, Aang and Katara felt slightly disheartened. They knew better than to argue extensively with so much opposition. To do so would be futile.

"So I say we go," Tophi piped up with a grin.

This time, all of them turned to stare at her in bafflement. They turned to look at each other before turning back to gape at Toph. As usual, the earthbender merely stood there grinning, enjoying their confusion.

"I thought you were on our side!" Sokka complained.

"I don't get it," Aang added in confusion, "didn't you just say that this whole thing was too suspicious?"

"Which is why we should just go for it and face the problem head-on," Toph said, expressing the typical earthbender outlook on life, "I don't know about you guys but I'm sick and tired of waiting for something to happen or sneaking around to gather information. So far, we've gotten nowhere and the longer time we waste in ignorance, the more time Aang's enemies will have to prepare for the fight against him."

"You're right about that," Zuko conceded reasonably, his expression grave, "but we may very well be walking into a trap."

"I know," Toph agreed, "but it's better that we already know it's going to be a trap so we'll be on our guard."

"You must be out of your mind," Sokka said in exasperation.

"I just can't stand the suspense anymore," Toph said with a shrug, "if I don't get more action, I might go mad. Trap or no trap, I'm willing to take the risk.

"What do you think, Aang?" Katara asked, turning to the Avatar, "I think all of us will go with whatever you choose to do."

The others nodded at this, Sokka most reluctantly but still he agreed.

The young airbender's brow was knotted in thought as he considered their options. After a few minutes, he looked at his friends with a smile.

"I say we'd better get cleaned up," he announced, "We have a party to attend."

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"Hmmm…not too shabby," Toph teased Aang and Sokka when they emerged in their Earth Kingdom clothes. She couldn't see them but she could sense how awkward and uncomfortable they both were in formal wear.

"You could pass," she said.

"Really?" Aang asked hopefully.

"..for servants," Toph added with mischievous grin.

Aang's face fell and Sokka just grumbled.

"Thanks a lot," the Avatar said with a pout.

"Well, you sure cleaned up pretty well," Aang said shyly.

"Thanks," Toph answered cheerfully.

"Yeah," Sokka pointed out, "who'd have thought you could look like a lady?"

Toph was unaffected by the jibe. She knew she looked exquisite in her light silk gown and with her hair arranged in a bun with ornaments on it.

"I was raised in aristocracy," she said proudly, "elegance, proper etiquette, and social graces have been drilled into me since birth. I just choose not to apply them."

Before either Aang could compliment his earthbending, Zuko appeared, attired in formal Earth Kingdom garb, with his long hair combed such that his scar was not so visible. He stood straight and tall and with a dignity and radiance that seemed to make the other two boys pale in comparison.

Toph could tell by sensing his posture that he looked pretty good. Aang and Sokka gaped at him.

"What?" Zuko asked them in puzzlement, suddenly self-conscious.

"Why do you look so good?" Sokka complained, unable to deny that the firebender had the superior fashion sense.

Zuko raised an eyebrow at this and Toph snorted.

Aang merely smiled and congratulated a baffled Zuko.

"Have you forgotten that he's ROYALTY?" Toph reminded them, "he's a natural at these things."

"Oh no, believe me," Zuko said modestly, "I could never really fit in with the people at my father's court."

"Well, you'll fit right into Earth Kingdom posh society, I guarantee it," Toph said encouragingly.

Before anyone else could argue or comment, Katara appeared in a light green silk gown, with her hair arranged in the elegant ornamental style and her face all made-up. Everyone but Toph gaped at her.

"Now here's a real lady," Toph said proudly, presenting a blushing Katara to the others, "you could take lessons from Katara, you know."

"Wow, Katara," Aang said admiringly.

"Who are you and what have you done to my sister?" Sokka teased. Katara shot him a look but she could see that he was proud of her so she forgave the jibe.

After hearing the compliments of the others, Katara turned her gaze shyly to Zuko who was looking at her with admiration and what was almost awe. The waterbender blushed at this and looked away.

"You look lovely, Katara," Zuko said simply but it was enough to make the girl's heart skip a beat.

"Thank you," Katara replied, finding the nerve to return his gaze and smile at him, "you look very handsome."

It was Zuko's turn to blush and he returned her smile warmly.

"Okay, okay, that's enough googly eyes from the two of you," Toph announced, dispelling the magic of the moment, "if we don't leave now, we're going to be late."

"Let's go," Aang said cheerfully, "whatever they have in store for us, we'll be ready."

"That's the spirit, Avatar," Sokka said enthusiastically, "whatever we'll be up against, you'll have us by your side, count on that."

"Enough talk, let's go," Toph interrupted, getting sick of the battle rhetoric.

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It proved more difficult than they expected to keep their guard up during the banquet. The grandeur of the celebration was simply overwhelming and for a few moments after their entry into the Earth King's palace, the Avatar's group stood in awe of the breathtaking spectacle. Only Toph seemed the least impressed and yet she could sense that even with her exposure to Earth Kingdom high society, she had never experienced anything close to the pomp and circumstance of the palace at Ba Sing Se.

Sokka, for all his pessimism, could not help but be amazed by the splendor of the place – and not to mention the wide variety of sumptuous meats being served. Katara felt shy and out of place in such a distinguished gathering. She conducted herself with grace and dignity and yet she was frightened that she might make a poor impression on the fine ladies of the Earth Kingdom court.

An astute observer as ever, Zuko noticed her discomfort and moved to reassure her.

"Ignore them," Zuko whispered gently, lifting her spirits, "you shouldn't concern yourself with what they think. They aren't worth any of your time. You are ten times better than every person in this room."

Katara blushed at such profuse praise and thanked Zuko warmly. He smiled. And Toph rolled her eyes.

But even Zuko, who was, after all, Fire Nation Royalty, could not help but be impressed by the opulence of the venue. Fortunately, he wasn't one to be easily distracted. Once he focused his energy on something, he was relentless in its pursuit. He worried about his companions and hoped that they would not be too carried away by the whirlwind world of politics and intrigue that they had been thrown into. He certainly had had his fair share of these worldly evils and he was not looking forward to facing them again. Like Toph, Zuko preferred a straightforward battle, where everything was out in the open, no traps, no artifice.

But he knew only too well that the world did not operate on the dictates of honor but more often than not, the world was driven by the selfish interests of man.

Ornate hangings filled the ceilings and intricately-designed chandeliers illuminated the vast room. Noblemen and women from all corners of the Earth Kingdom chatted amongst themselves. The room was enlivened by the upbeat music played by a live band of specially trained performers. Food from all over the world was laid out on a long buffet table and the vast assortment of meat and sweets made Sokka's mouth water.

Aang stared wide-eyed at his surroundings but did not fail to notice that his presence was attracting attention as well. People were staring and pointing at him (discreetly or not) and hushed whispers filled the room as he and his group made their way to the main banquet table where the king would soon be sitting. For some strange reason, the airbender was nervous around such a crowd. He was certainly no stranger to attention and yet he felt that there was something more dangerous and suspicious about the people around him. He wasn't in a remote island town where the people were grateful for his help. He seemed to me a mark, with a whole army poised to shoot at him.

He was grateful for the presence of his friends, who never left his side. Katara laid a hand on his shoulder gently, giving him some more courage and confidence to continue their way.

"The trick is to stay together always," Sokka had suggested when they made their plans, "under no circumstances will we allow them to split us up."

"Our enemies no doubt know what a formidable force they're going to be up against," Katara had added, "they will probably use a divide and conquer strategy. So we don't want to give them that opportunity."

And true enough, the moment the group entered the banquet hall, they were besieged by eager and curious guests, feigning friendship, and attempting to drag them off to some other part of the celebration. But the group remained firm in their resolve and refused all these offers as politely as they could. They stayed together and endured all the stares and whispers. There were worse things that could happen and each of the Avatar's friends was steeling himself or herself for what was to come.

A couple of hours passed uneventfully and Aang was beginning to doubt that there was any danger.

"Maybe we were just a little too paranoid," he said optimistically.

"Don't get too comfortable," Sokka warned, "nothing has even started yet."

"Have you ever considered that maybe nothing is going to happen tonight?" the Avatar asked hopefully.

"Not with those Earth Kingdom guards posted at every corner," Zuko observed in a low voice, his eyes pointing in the direction of a pillar nearby behind which an Earth Kingdom guard hid. The man wore a pointy hat obscuring his eyes and Zuko noticed several such agents shadowing their every move.

Aang sighed. "I guess you're right," he conceded.

Toph was growing impatient.

"When are they going to attack us or something?" she muttered irritably, "I am so tired of these silly games."

"But if we want to survive," Zuko reminded her, "we're going to have to play along…and win."

They stood together uneasily, wary of any movement to approach them. Toph's toes were drumming against the floor, feeling the earth through the thin layer of silk on her slippers. Even in footwear she made sure that she would still be able to earthbend.

Katara had a water gourd at her side which was disguised as an ornamental ladies bag. Aang and Zuko would have no trouble summoning their elements and Sokka had his boomerang discreetly hidden in his tunic.

And yet for all this, they were still caught unawares when a distinguished looking gentleman with a coaxing voice appeared before them out of nowhere. He was almost bald but had a long, dark braid and a sinister-looking mustache. His eyes were cunning though his manner was friendly.

"Ah, the Avatar and his friends, I presume," he greeted them formally; "it is an honor to make your acquaintance at last."

Aang nodded and immediately all his friends were on a heightened alert.

_Finally, _Toph thought. And yet, for all their anticipation and planning, nothing could have prepared them for what would happen next.

"May I take this opportunity to formally welcome you to our humble city of Ba Sing Se," the man continued, "my name is Long Feng and I am Grand Secretariat of this city. The king has requested me to meet you on his behalf as he is...indisposed to do so this evening."

"We seek an audience with the king, and ONLY the king," Aang said resolutely, "he is the one in charge, is he not?"

Long Feng was unfazed by this cold response.

"Very well," he replied coolly, "but I think it best that I first acquaint you better with the true source of authority in this mighty kingdom."

And these were the last words Aang and his friends heard before a large explosion took place and they all felt themselves falling into a dark, endless abyss.


	10. Chapter 10

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: Again, sorry for the delay though it wasn't as long as the last time. My excuse will be a hectic schedule comprised of tons of school work as well as everyday living concerns and some semblance of a social life. Plus, some new fandoms have also been interfering with my concentration. But rest assured, as I mentioned before, I will see this story through to the end._

_I hope that you're all still interested in how the story is going. We're two-thirds of the way done with this chapter so expect a lot of things happening in the next ones._

_Thanks for sticking with me and I hope you enjoy this update!_

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A strange buzzing noise pierced the silence as the Avatar lifted his heavy eyelids. He squinted to adjust his vision to the darkness which was accented only by an eerie green light.

Groaning, Aang suddenly felt the sting of a headache. A few moments later, he noticed that his arms and legs were bound by heavy, sturdy metal chains, in a manner similar to the time when Zhao captured him. The Avatar sighed in exasperation. How could this have happened again?

He was in a dimly lit cavern that seemed to be deep underground. It was also very chilly there though Aang wondered if his fear exacerbated the cold he was feeling. The buzzing noise came from a green orb of light that circled around him, almost hypnotically. Aang closed his eyes and looked away from the cursed thing.

He spent a few minutes struggling to recall everything that had occurred before he lost consciousness but he there were only blurred images. The clearest recollection was standing with his friends facing the sinister looking secretariat of Ba Sing Se, Long Feng.

Beyond that was a blank.

"Monkeyfeathers!" Aang muttered under his breath.

"I see you are finally awake," came a voice from a dark corner of the room.

Aang glared in the direction where Long Feng emerged coolly.

"Don't think that these chains can keep me here," Aang declared boldly, "I've learned all four elements already. In a minute or two, I'm going to break out of them."

"Oh, I wasn't foolish enough to underestimate you, Avatar," Long Feng replied, unruffled, "of course, I've made additional precautions."

Aang's eyes widened at this but he tried not to flinch. Long Feng did not miss this look of surprise on the young boy's face.

"It doesn't matter," Aang said, as nonchalantly as he could. There was no use discussing the motives for his captivity or any other consideration about the situation. What was paramount was escaping and Aang decided that he would focus on that before he interrogated his captor.

"Oh?" Long Feng taunted, raising an eyebrow, "so it seems you haven't attempted any bending yet. All the better."

At this Aang grew worried but tried his best not to show it.

"Well, what are you waiting for, then?" Long Feng said menacingly, "Show me your power."

Then, to Aang's horror, he was unable to bend any element to his will. His limbs seemed to be drained of all energy, his chi blocked by some unseen force.

"No," he whispered despondently as he realized what had happened.

The next thought that occurred to him was that there was only one person he knew who was capable of incapacitating him thus.

"Well, I trust that now you're in a more cooperative mood," Long Feng began, interrupting Aang's train of thought, "Maybe now we can finally discuss our business."

"It doesn't matter that I can't bend now, you know," Aang said in his defence, "my friends will come for me, you can be sure of that."

"Believe that if it gives you comfort," Long Feng replied mysteriously, "though I seriously doubt that will happen."

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The metal was colder than it should be, and Toph knew it wasn't because of her fear.

"There's water nearby, I'm sure of it," she thought as she listened and felt her surroundings. She knew that she was deep underground but now she got the feeling that she was also underwater somehow. She couldn't explain it yet but that was how it felt.

The earthbender frowned and for the nth time, punched the metal door to no avail.

She sat down in frustration and voiced her annoyance. But she was alone in her cell.

"This is why I hate big cities!" she thought in exasperation, "you can never trust the people in them. They always find a way to stab you in the back somehow!"

Toph couldn't figure it out. For all their careful planning and preparation, they still ended up in the exact predicament that they had been avoiding in the first place. It almost seemed like they would have been better off just plunging into the fray without care or caution.

She didn't remember anything after they had all fallen into some dark pit the moment they met that sleazy Ba Sing Se official. All of them had been knocked unconscious and then separated.

But the worst part was that for the first couple of hours or so, she couldn't even earthbend. It was the one of the few things that truly scared her and for once, she felt completely helpless. But Toph was not one to wallow in despair and she knew that if she only stayed calm and relaxed, she would regain her energy as well as her bending.

It took a while but true enough, after several hours, she could bend again. Not that it was of much use in the metal cell. However wily her captors had been, Toph was determined to thwart them.

"No point dwelling on mysteries it's too late to solve," Toph thought resignedly after a few more moments of reflection.

That they had been outwitted was clear enough. That she needed to escape and find the others was Toph's top priority.

Toph couldn't feel much of the surroundings in the metal cell but she could tell that there were no people around near her. Whoever captured them apparently thought she would be secure in the cell and felt no need to guard her too much. They had underestimated her and though it hurt her pride a little, she saw how it worked to her advantage as well.

"Big mistake," she thought gleefully, "I'm the greatest earthbender in the world, "if anyone can find a way out of this, I can."

Taking a deep breath and focusing her energy, she punched the metal door – this time focusing on the bits of earth that she was sure were in the metal. Bits and pieces of earth bounced back to her through the vibrations caused by her punch.

Toph smiled. She just hoped that the others were as lucky as she was.

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"Why do you always do this to us, the Universe?" Sokka lamented in his cell but there was no one nearby to complain about his whining.

He slumped into a corner and racked his brain for some new plan or any idea.

"We must have been watched more carefully than we thought," he concluded after reviewing the situation, "they knew that we were ready for them, so they were extra careful in drawing us out."

The worst part was that no one even bothered with him. There was no guard or enemy that he could ask or at least observe. It seemed that locking him up in the cell was enough for them.

"Am I really that small a threat?" Sokka thought with wounded pride, "Hmmmph, just because I can't bend doesn't mean that I can't fight."

But then again, maybe they were watching him.

"They wouldn't be foolish enough to leave us alone, to give us chances to escape," Sokka concluded.

He looked around him, darting suspicious glances at every corner of his small, dark cell.

"I know you're out there, whoever you are," he called out, "don't think you can defeat us this easily. When I get out of here and meet up with Aang and the others, you will realize that you picked a fight with the wrong Avatar!"

Nothing answered him but a chilling silence. Sokka had expected no response and yet he felt that even some diabolical cackling would have been preferable to the silence.

"Rude," Sokka thought before sitting down and leaning against the cold, metal wall.

Well, if he was going to find a way to escape, he needed time to figure it out. So he knotted his brows and began to think.

He heard a loud grumbling sound and jumped up into a defensive position. He had no weapons but he wasn't about to go down without a fight.

"Aha! You show yourselves at last, cowards!" he cried out angrily.

But no one appeared, and Sokka's shoulders slumped in disappointment.

The grumbling noise grew louder and to his dismay, Sokka realized that it came from his empty stomach.

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The greenish glow of the subterranean crystal prison shone on the lone figure of the waterbender. Katara paced back and forth, shaking her hands, trying to confirm if her chi was no longer blocked.

Unfortunately, there was no way of testing this because not a drop of water could be found in the whole place. Only cold ground and mesmerizing greenish crystals.

Katara felt a slight tingle in her fingers that she usually felt when she was about to bend, but she couldn't be certain. She desperately wanted something to bend but it was so cold in her prison that she couldn't sweat. Her mouth had gone a bit dry as well and she wasn't about to try to bend her own spit. She had her limits.

She had woken up with a jolt to find herself alone in the crystal catacombs of Ba Sing Se. No matter how loud she cried out, no one responded. She was completely alone. Or if she was being watched, there was no sign of her captors.

She wondered how the others were doing and she hoped that they were not worse off than she was. But that was not possible, she knew.

Maybe Toph and Sokka would be all right because they were not main targets.

But Aang was the Avatar. And Zuko – he was a fugitive of the Fire Nation and yet still an enemy to the rest of the world.

But who were they up against? Katara wondered. Ever since their arrival in Ba Sing Se, their struggle had become more complicated.

At the beginning, everything had been straightforward enough. The enemy was the Fire Lord and everyone in the Fire Nation who continued his war. But after the strange events in the Earth Kingdom city fortress, Katara could not be so sure anymore. Even after all their investigations in Ba Sing Se, they weren't able to discover much about what or who they would be up against.

And now, they had knowingly walked into a trap just so that they could finally give their enemy a face. But so far, the only face Katara could remember was Long Feng's and she couldn't imagine what his motives would be for capturing them. Why did he want to prevent the Avatar from fulfilling his destiny?

The waterbender was sure that no matter what, the enemy would keep Aang alive, although in captivity. They would not risk having the Avatar reborn in some remote Water Tribe village. And Aang was so much stronger now that he had learned all four elements. Katara felt confident that he would be able to fend for himself long enough for her and the others to rejoin him.

No, it was for Zuko that she was most concerned.

Of them all, he was the one in greatest danger. His position, by far, was the most complicated.

Despite his banishment, he was still the son of the Fire Lord and considered an enemy by the rest of the world. And she doubted that the strict officials of Ba Sing Se would be as sympathetic to him as she was.

And yet, if by some strange chance, it was the Fire Nation who had captured them, he would still be in trouble because of his status as traitor and fugitive.

Katara almost couldn't bear to imagine what hardships Zuko would have to face at the hands of his captors. He had endured so much already and yet he seemed destined to undergo more challenges.

That he was strong and capable, she had no doubt. He had survived so many trials that surely he would be able to do the same this time around. He was no stranger to pain and suffering.

And yet, what bothered Katara the most was the thought that once again, Zuko would have to face his enemies all alone.

The time she and Zuko had spent together ever since that fateful fight with Azula was precious to Katara and she was slowly beginning to understand why this was so. And she wasn't about to let this new, wonderful part of her life end because she was too weak to prevent it.

"I know it's not my place to assume that you need me," Katara thought, silently addressing Zuko wherever he was, "but I want to be there for you, the way that no one has ever been there for you your whole life."

She wanted to help him, she _needed _to help him. It was as much for herself as for him. Or maybe, it was for both of them.

Either way how was she going to do anything while she was trapped there alone?

She had walked through the whole prison but saw no opening, not even the tiniest crack between the crystal walls. Everywhere she looked all she could see was her own reflection, each time staring back at her with greater exasperation.

It was as if all those crystal mirrors were mocking her determination to escape. But she wouldn't be discouraged. After all, they always managed to get out of whatever scrape they got into, no matter how dangerous or complicated.

"There's a first time for everything," a mocking voice in her head told her but she shrugged it off. She had never been one to be pessimistic. She refused to lose hope.

So the determined waterbender continued to search for a way out of the crystal catacombs while also trying to come up with a plan for when she would meet up with the others. As she walked around and touched the crystals, she could sense that there was a source of water not too far from where she was. Katara smiled.

"We didn't come this far to be captured and defeated," the waterbender thought resolutely, "I will escape from here. I will find you!"

And though she tried to convince herself that she was referring to Aang and the others, some part of Katara knew that she was thinking only of Zuko.

"Wait for me," she whispered steadfastly, "I'm on my way."


	11. Chapter 11

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: I apologize for the delay but I hope you like this chapter. The whole scene happens in one place and between two people but I hope that there will be enough to pique your interest._

_As you will notice, I took some liberties with the way Ba Sing Se is run in this story and I hope you will like the changes._

_I am writing as fast as I can and I am determined to finish this story this month._

_Thanks for your patience and enjoy the chapter._

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"I must say, the Avatar's been keeping very strange company of late."

The pitch black room was suddenly illuminated by an eerie, green glow from an unnatural light source. Even with this, there was not much to see but shadows. The prisoner didn't bother to look up at his visitor and said nothing.

"How was it then," the sinister voice continued, "that the hunter joined forces with the hunted? Was it because you became a prey yourself?"

Still, the prisoner kept his silence.

"Well, I suppose that is what one ought to expect of a traitor and a disgrace," the man chided.

His victim did not give him the satisfaction of reacting. It was just as well. Long Feng had expected no less from the Prince of the Fire Nation.

"I see that you aren't particularly chatty this evening," the shrewd minister commented, "and perhaps that is wise. You must know that there is nothing that you can possibly say that could alter your current predicament. You may refuse to look at me but you know that I am telling the truth."

Again, Zuko said nothing and looked away, to a dark corner of the cell. He was bound in cold metal chains and he could still feel the effects of his chi being blocked. He knew that he could not bend so he would not attempt it only to humiliate himself in front of his captor.

The prince was kept in the coldest cell in the secret labyrinthine prisons of Ba Sing Se. This was not only to make him uncomfortable since he was more accustomed to warm climates but it was also to ensure that if his bending abilities returned prematurely, he would be too numb to attempt anything. They had taken every precaution to prevent his escape. And so far, these measures had been effective.

Zuko wondered how the others were doing and only hoped that they were in relatively better conditions than he was. But he was sure that Aang's captivity would be at least equally miserable. The Avatar was stronger than he looked, though, so he would be able to endure anything. The sole comfort Zuko took from his thoughts was the hope that the others were not suffering as much, especially Katara. He was well aware of their strength but he could not help but worry about the people who had come to treat him as family in the short while that he had been travelling with them.

And he had also grown closer to Katara in a way that he never expected. For some reason, her friendship had become more precious to him than any favors he had once desired from his father. Her forgiveness and trust was worth more to him than even the Avatar's and he could not explain why.

What mattered to him now was to survive whatever was coming, to escape this madness, and to meet up with the others again. To see _her _again.

In a strange way, Zuko was relieved to be captured at last. He had been on the run for so long that it was almost refreshing to be caught because it significantly lessened the suspense about the future. And now, things were simpler: he needed to figure out how to escape and to do it.

And it was also better now that the enemy had a face.

Long Feng was dressed warmly in the thickest fur and he was so padded up that he seemed almost unrecognizable. His voice was also slightly muffled because of several scarves he wore. Nevertheless, there could be no doubt about the menace of his tone and that was what identified him so clearly. This was the first time he had visited Zuko but the latter had been expecting this for quite some time.

Though he shivered from the cold, Zuko was eager to hear what his captor had to say. The prince knew well that there was more to be learned by listening than by asking.

"But I must admit, you're coming to Ba Sing Se wasn't one of your smartest decisions," Long Feng said, "surely a man with your _distinctive_ features would have taken more measures to conceal himself in a city which has eyes everywhere. Or maybe you wanted to be caught?"

At this, Long Feng gave a low chuckle. Zuko kept his golden eyes fixed on the smug earthbender's face. His breath was coming in white puffs but he dared not speak.

"Whatever the reasons for your foolishness, it has now come to an end," Long Feng declared, "and no doubt you know what is coming."

Zuko continued to stare, waiting for Long Feng to reveal something that would be of use to him. But clearly the old man knew the game and played it well.

"You can be as stubborn as you want but you know you cannot win against me," Long Feng warned, "because I've been doing this for a long time, and I never do anything that does not bring me profit."

"Then you might be sorely disappointed," Zuko finally spoke, trying his best to keep his teeth from chattering.

"Ah, so you've finally deigned to speak to me, _Prince _Zuko," Long Feng replied in amusement, "though I must confess, your title no longer means anything here or even in your own country. Haven't you been stripped of all your honor?"

Zuko was silent again but he could not help but glare at the satisfied glint in Long Feng's beady eyes. Somehow in the darkness, the other man noticed this look of disdain and underneath his scarves, Long Feng sneered.

"I must have struck a chord then," the older man said, "all the better, I wouldn't want to let you think for a moment that you could get the better of me. The only reason you are still alive is because I may still have some use for you."

"I highly doubt that," Zuko taunted, "as you said, my title counts for nothing now. And you already have the Avatar, I don't see what else you can do with me."

"I'm sure your Fire Lord father would give some manner of reward for your capture," Long Feng replied coolly, "you should be grateful you didn't fall into the hands of vicious bounty hunters who would have treated you a lot worse."

"Lucky me," Zuko replied derisively.

There was a spark of amusement in Long Feng's eyes which Zuko did not miss. Zuko frowned and decided that he needed to milk more information from the manipulative earthbender.

"But surely you did not come all the way down here, all dressed up and everything, just to exchange pleasantries with your prisoner?" the prince asked carefully, "the bounty for my head is nothing to you. What is it that you really want?"

"Well, well, you're smarter than I gave you credit for," Long Feng commented patronizingly, "I suppose there's no point beating around the bush."

"There isn't," Zuko said directly. He was growing more and more suspicious of this strange man.

"Good," Long Feng, "because I'm a busy man and I don't like wasting time. I've come with a proposal for you to consider. Nothing too complicated, your freedom in exchange for your loyalty."

"So you want me to betray Aang?" Zuko said with narrowed eyes.

"Yes."

"Thanks, but no thanks."

"I had a feeling you'd say that. You're very loyal very quickly."

"So?"

"You haven't heard the rest of my proposal."

"Not interested."

"I'll tell you anyway. If you joined forces with me and my army of Dai Li agents and help us keep the Avatar, we can better negotiate with your father about the current circumstances."

"My father's hardly the kind of person who negotiates with anyone," Zuko said, "He would rather send his armies to destroy his enemies than strike up deals with them."

"Ah, but if that were true," Long Feng replied mysteriously, "he would have done it already, and Ba Sing Se would not still be known as an impenetrable fortress. No, that's not how it works. There are more ways of controlling a territory than mere occupation and blatant shows of brute strength."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. Was he about to discover at last one of the secrets of the walled city? Even after all their extensive investigations, he and the others still had so many unanswered questions about how the city was run. He had always wondered why his father had not dared attack it again. Surely, his uncle's failure didn't mean that any other attempt would end likewise.

Long Feng saw that the prisoner was pondering on his words and the earthbender smirked.

"You're thinking again, that's a good sign," he said mockingly.

Zuko had his suspicions but he couldn't be sure. And now was a good an opportunity as any to confirm his ideas.

"So even the prince of the Fire Nation isn't aware of all of his father's dealings with the rest of the world," Long Feng taunted, "you had better start doing your research or you will be a poor heir to the throne."

It was then that Zuko noticed a glint of pure loathing in Long Feng's beady eyes. Zuko knew that look well and he gave credit to Long Feng for not letting it affect the tone of his voice. And as Zuko stared back at the earthbender, even in the limited light of the room, Zuko recognized the expression he had often seen on his father and the other greedy politicians in the council. Lust for power.

"So you're no different from countless other men," the prince thought. He had an idea of how such men thought. He had met so many of them already.

"Well, you're clearly the most powerful man in Ba Sing Se," Zuko said, trying to figure out what Long Feng really wanted, "you were already able to capture the Avatar. That's more than enough bargaining power with my father if he does allow a negotiation. What would you need me for?"

A shadow fell upon Long Feng's face and his eyes had a more sinister look.

"Leverage," he said simply.

"I told you before," Zuko argued, "I've been disowned by my father and branded as a traitor. You can't use me as leverage against him."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Prince Zuko," Long Feng continued, "because whatever else anyone says, you are still the son of the Fire Lord, his firstborn, his blood, and you're being alive will always be a threat to someone else."

Zuko narrowed his eyes. He was beginning to understand the situation but he did not want to jump to conclusions. Long Feng could see that the prince was thinking and he was glad.

"And I take it, you are offering me protection in exchange for my cooperation?" Zuko asked slowly.

"Good, you understand me perfectly," Long Feng replied, "you're beginning to see the extent of your father's power, and that of another. I'm sure you've noticed that Ba Sing Se is far from the free city that most misguided refugees take it for. Oh no, there may not be Fire Nation soldiers stationed at every corner but you can be sure that the powerful arm of the Fire Lord has stretched this far."

"So all this time, you and your agents have been obeying my father's orders?" Zuko asked gravely.

"We had no choice in the matter, believe me, the defenses of Ba Sing Se are not as strong as people think they are," Long Feng replied.

"But why keep it a secret?" Zuko asked, "Where's the glory in never declaring Ba Sing Se as conquered territory?"

"Ah, this setup may not be outwardly impressive but it has manifold advantages," Long Feng explained, "people from all around the world come here seeking sanctuary, thinking that behind these walls they will finally be safe. But they never realize, even when they are here, that they've walked into the biggest, most elaborate trap of the Fire Nation. This is how the biggest rebellions have been squashed before they even happened. This is how the Fire Lord watches his enemies and destroys them before they can even make a move against him. Ba Sing Se is nothing more than an enormous, elaborate cage."

Zuko's golden eyes grew wider and wider as he listened to this explanation and at the end of it, he could only stare in horror as he realized how diabolical the whole situation was. It was far worse than he had imagined.

"Brilliant, isn't it?" Long Feng said ironically.

"Monstrous," Zuko muttered softly.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot," Long Feng said mockingly, "you are too honorable to appreciate such methods."

Zuko glared at him.

"But I still don't understand what you intend to do with me," Zuko said honestly, "I can never be a threat to my father. And I don't think you're the type of person who easily takes risks."

"Accurate observation," Long Feng replied, "no, it's really not your father I want to bargain with but someone infinitely more sinister. I'm sure you know who that is."

Somehow, Zuko knew. And it made him shudder to remember.

"I have to say this isn't the most brilliant of your plans," Zuko taunted, "The person you want to threaten couldn't care less about me."

"Oh, I think you'd be surprised," Long Feng said mysteriously. Zuko frowned.

"And even if that were true, how can you make sure that I'm going to cooperate with you as soon as you free me from here?" Zuko tested the other.

"Like I said, you are too bound by honor to go back on your word once you've given it," Long Feng replied smugly, "I know that much."

"If that's all you have to go on, then you'll be surprised," Zuko answered gravely, "after all, I did betray my father and my country."

"Nice try," Long Feng said nonchalantly, "but we will have that there are other ways to get you to cooperate, you can count on that."

"I'm not that easily manipulated," Zuko declared.

"On the contrary, it's easier than you think," Long Feng said with a grin, "don't forget that we hold the Avatar and his friends. And from what I hear, there's a certain waterbender that you would prefer not to see harmed."

Zuko's eyes narrowed and Long Feng smirked with satisfaction at this confirmation. The prince felt a powerful surge of anger at this threat but he managed to restrain himself.

"You already know what I mean, the rest are just details," Long Feng said with a shrug, "so perhaps now you are more willing to strike a deal with me."

Zuko glared at him but said nothing. There was something else going on. The moment of anger had sparked something familiar within him and he did not want Long Feng to know it just yet. Zuko knew that he would have to focus all his energy on distracting the minister so that he could try to escape.

Fortunately, the distraction came right on time.

"Long Feng, sir," a Dai Li agent said as he peered into the room nervously.

"I said no interruptions," Long Feng replied coldly, not even looking at the agitated earthbender.

"But sir, it's an emergency," the agent croaked.

Long Feng's head snapped to the messenger and his eyes narrowed. The other man nearly melted from his gaze. Seeing the cool captor discomfited made Zuko grin in spite of himself.

"This had better be good," Long Feng said sinisterly.

"It's about the other prisoners, sir…" the man began.

"Silence!" Long Feng roared, "Did I ask you for the details?"

"N-no, sir, forgive me," the poor messenger apologized profusely.

Long Feng frowned.

"Well, it seems you've made the fatal mistake of underestimating my friends," Zuko said triumphantly.

"A minor disturbance, I am sure," Long Feng muttered, trying to appear as cool as before, "but one that requires my attention, nevertheless. I will leave you now so that you may have more time to consider my offer. Next time, I might not be as agreeable."

With a final menacing glare at Zuko which the prince returned with equal ferocity, Long Feng turned and strode out of the cell. The green light was extinguished and the metal door was slammed shut.

Even in the darkness, Zuko grinned. He leaned back and took a deep breath and slowly exhaled two puffs of smoke from his nostrils.


	12. Chapter 12

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: Now, for some action. A lot of fun things happen in this chapter so I hope you enjoy. As I always say, I have trouble writing and describing action sequences so just try your best to imagine all the bending that happens in this chapter. And I've had the ending planned for a long time now so it was extremely fun to write._

_Oh, and I've decided to push myself to conclude this story on 11-11-11 so you can be assured of an update nearly every day this week._

_Happy reading!_

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Another wall crashed to the ground as the triumphant earthbender continued on her rampage. Dai Li agents taken by surprise tried their best to defend themselves against the landslide but they were clearly no match for the self-proclaimed greatest earthbender in the world.

The joy Toph felt at having escaped and the fear she inspired in the guards who had never imagined metal-bending possible only served to brighten the girl's mood. All the frustration and fatigue were gone and she was primed for battle.

After several more explosions, the Dai Li agents began to scatter before Toph.

"How many are we up against?" one agent foolishly asked.

"One," another answered.

"Are you serious?" the first earthbender asked incredulously.

"Dead serious," the other replied gravely, "so I suggest you just run."

At length Toph managed to crash and smash her way to another set of dungeons. She bent the metal doors with ease and managed to release a wide-eyed, starving Sokka.

"Toph!" he cried excitedly, "I've never been happier to see you!"

"Ditto," the earthbender replied with a grin.

She rubbed her feet on the ground and sensed the presence of others.

"Appa and Momo aren't far from here," she declared, "let's go get them!"

"Right!" Sokka agreed, "Team Avatar is back in business!"

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Katara whirled around as she heard echoes of large explosions from behind the crystal walls.

"What's going on out there?" she thought as she peered through the green crystals.

But still she couldn't see much through the walls. And yet, she had a really good feeling about what was happening. She heard a louder crash resound as well as some angry and frightened shouts.

The waterbender followed the sound and tried to listen better. She was growing impatient and eager to join the battle and yet she had not yet found a means of escaping.

Katara clenched her fists in frustration and punched one of the crystals.

To her surprise, her punch coincided with another loud explosion. And to the waterbender's delight, she saw cracks form on the green crystal she had just assaulted.

Then, Katara grinned widely as water began to trickle through these cracks.

"My turn," she declared triumphantly.

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The door to the cell opened with a loud crash but the Avatar did not look up. He wasn't in the mood to listen to any more of Long Feng's jibes or taunts. He was too tired and sad to care. And he still felt weak. His chi had been blocked at regular intervals to prevent any bending. It hadn't been Ty Lee, after all, but a Dai Li agent who was just as skilled. He had tried to resist but all his attempts had been futile.

The Avatar's chains grew heavier as his heart sank.

Aang stared at the ground dejectedly as he waited for another round of harsh words to be spoken.

"Why the long face, Twinkletoes?" a cheerful voice broke the silence, "I hoped you would be more appreciative."

Aang's head jerked up immediately at hearing this and he blinked a few times and squinted to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him.

Meanwhile, Toph had walked towards him and bent the chains away from his limbs.

"Toph, Toph," he repeated her name happily, and he was almost in tears.

"You're welcome," she answered with a grin.

He fell limp as the chains were taken away from him but Toph was able to support him. He put his arm on her shoulder and she helped him walk. She knew at once what his captors had done to render him so weak so she decided not to comment on it. She knew that he had suffered far more than any of them had.

"Now, let's get you out of here," she said in the gentlest tone he had ever heard her use.

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"Get out of the way!" the earthbenders shouted as their walls of earth were blasted through with powerful flames.

Practically the whole area was flooded in fire now and the remaining Dai Li agents were scrambling to get away from the firebender's wrath. They had only been up against such a dangerous adversary once but then, they had been wise enough to surrender quickly. They never thought that this prisoner would be a similar threat.

But they valued their lives more than their duties as sentries so they fled as fast as they could from the rivers of fire that had spread. Their escape was a great help to their pursuer because he was able to find the various exits from his labyrinthine prison. The frantic guards showed him the way out.

Zuko had known that they were underground but he had never imagined they would be under a lake. That explained how cold it was in his cell. But he had recovered quickly as soon as he had escaped.

During their travels, his uncle had taught him a very useful (and secret) firebending technique that was essential for escape. The only thing that prevented Zuko from using it immediately was the fact that his chi had been blocked. Fortunately, Long Feng had not been careful enough to keep the firebender incapacitated for too long.

The trick required a lot of concentration, which Zuko never lacked. It entailed focusing all one's firebending energy into small but extremely hot strokes of flame, hot enough to melt metal. And that was how Zuko broke out of his chains.

And after taking a few whiffs of the air outside and puffed up by the feeling of freedom, he regained most of his strength and so began to terrorize the hapless earthbenders. They never knew what hit them. But after seeing a few frightful displays of firebending, they knew better than to fight back.

If he had been a more prideful man, Zuko would have felt insulted at the low level of security that had been given to him by Long Feng. Had they really underestimated him this much?

But Zuko was more practical than proud and he was glad that he didn't have to put up too much of a fight to escape his prison. He knew that he had better conserve his energy for bigger battles that were undoubtedly ahead.

He spied a Dai Li agent who had not yet managed to escape. Zuko grabbed the frightened man by the collar.

"Where are my friends?" he asked with a fire dart poised at the cowering earthbender.

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"Ummm…Toph?" Sokka asked nervously as they faced a large horde of Dai Li agents, all poised to strike.

This had been the biggest group they had faced so far. Sokka was supporting Aang and Appa and Momo were there too but they were surrounded. Toph was panting already and though she would never admit it, she had grown tired after doing most of the fighting.

The earthbender took a deep breath and though she was trembling slightly, she got into a defensive stance and raised her hands, posed to strike.

"I'll take care of this one!" a voice was heard.

Toph grinned and Sokka looked around for the voice.

But just then a huge wave of water engulfed the unsuspecting Dai Li army and riding upon another wave came Katara.

"Took you long enough," Toph said with a grin.

"Sorry about that," Katara replied, smiling, "a bunch of other people got in the way."

"Great timing, sis," Sokka praised as he embraced his sister fondly.

"Hey, Katara," Aang said weakly. Katara immediately knelt beside him to end to his injuries. She couldn't unblock his chi but she could restore some of his energy somehow.

As she put her hands on him with glowing water, the Avatar heaved a sigh of relief.

"Don't worry, Aang," Katara reassured him, "you'll get your bending back soon."

"Thank you, Katara," the Avatar replied.

"Do you think we can move him, soon?" Toph asked in concern, "we can't linger here much longer."

"He'll be fine in a minute or two," Katara said.

"That's good," Toph answered, sighing with relief.

Katara looked at the earthbender strangely. She had never seen Toph so gentle and concerned about anyone. Toph sensed her gaze and looked away. Katara only smiled to herself.

"Any idea how we can get out of here yet?" Sokka asked.

Toph rubbed her feet on the ground and examined the surroundings carefully.

"There are several ways out, but they're all heavily guarded," she answered gravely, "let me figure this out a little longer."

"Sure," Sokka said.

"Thank you, Katara," Aang said after a while. He was able to get up again and he managed to leap on top of Appa.

"You're welcome," Katara said in relief, "I'm so glad you're all alright."

But she still looked around frantically. She had noticed that someone was missing the moment she had rejoined them and she had just been waiting for him to arrive.

"He'll be here soon," Sokka told his sister reassuringly, and Katara was surprised at how obvious she was being.

"Yeah, I'm sure he found a way out just like the rest of us," Aang added cheerfully.

Katara nodded and just looked around her expectantly. It was Toph's turn to grin at her. She wiggled her toes on the ground and her grin grew wider.

"You can stop pining for him now, Katara," the earthbender teased.

"What are you talking about?" Katara said, blushing slightly.

Before she could find another retort, she and others heard a loud fiery explosion. A few soaked Dai Li agents now fled in horror from the coming flames.

And emerging dramatically from a wall of fire was a fierce-looking Fire Nation prince.

His grave expression changed the moment he saw Aang and the others staring at him. He walked over to them without surrounding himself in fire.

"You're late, Sparky," Toph said with a grin.

"Sorry about that," Zuko replied, smiling.

"Welcome back, Zuko," Aang said.

"Woohoo! Team Avatar has assembled!" Sokka cried enthusiastically.

Appa gave a growl of approval and Momo chirped affably.

Carefully, Zuko turned his gaze to Katara who was staring him in joy and relief. He gave her a small smile and was about to say something in greeting when she surprised him by throwing her arms around him in a tight embrace.

Zuko's eyes widened for a moment before he returned the gesture warmly.

Toph snickered, Aang smiled, and Sokka rolled his eyes. But the other two paid no attention to them.

"Okay, okay, break it up; we've got more urgent matters to attend to," Toph said after a few minutes, "you can talk later."

"Don't worry, I haven't been idle," Zuko said, "I know that the quickest way out of here is through a tunnel that goes through Lake Laogai."

"And how did you manage to find that out?" Sokka asked.

"I asked nicely," Zuko said with a suggestive grin.

"He's right," Toph said after examining the surroundings further, "but we're going to have to be quick about it. Long Feng and his minions are on their way here."

"Then, what are we waiting for, let's go!" Sokka said.

The others nodded and Toph opened up a tunnel and cleared a path before them. They ran inside and Toph sealed the entrance. Zuko lit the way with a fire on his hand.

"What's the plan?" Sokka asked, "I know we have to bring Aang to safety first, and then what?"

"We get rid of Long Feng and his cronies," Toph suggested, "I always knew there was something fishy about this place. Now I know. And nothing pisses me off more than a prison masquerading as a free city."

"I feel the same way, and I'd help you if I could," Aang said.

"We can handle this, Aang," Sokka said, "We need you to regain your strength so you can face the Fire Lord. Leave this to us."

"But we can't take on Long Feng and his army by ourselves," Katara said, "We need reinforcements. Maybe we can find Dad and the rest of the warriors from the Southern Water Tribe."

"And I'm sure Uncle's on his way to help us as well," Zuko said, "we'll need all the help we can get now that we know that Long Feng has both his earthbenders and the Fire Nation at his side."

Zuko frowned and the others had grave expressions on their faces as well. They all knew that what they had seen in the dungeons and catacombs was just the tip of the iceberg. There was definitely more where these came from.

"Okay, we can do more planning once we get out of here," Toph said, "we're nearly at the exit so we still have to deal with the guards there."

"We're ready," Katara said, speaking for everyone. The others simply nodded.

"Brace yourselves," Toph said, taking a deep breath.

And with a flick of her fingers, the tunnel opened up before them to reveal a large host of Dai Li agents poised to attack. Long Feng stood in front of the vast army.

"I'm sorry to inform you," he said coolly, "but we will be needing the Avatar back. As for the rest, we will not let you escape this place alive."

"I hate to disappoint you," Toph replied fiercely, "but no way."

"Very well," Long Feng said, expecting this answer, "let's do this the hard way."

"Oh, don't worry, we're used to that," Toph said as she and the others got into defensive stances.

"Tut, tut," the Ba Sing Se official said in mock pity, "you people never learn."

"I should say the same about you," Sokka replied smugly.

Then, the clash begun.

Balls of flaming earth were tossed about along with ice darts and a boomerang that still managed to do some damage. Explosion after explosion was heard in the fray and shouts both triumphant and frightened filled the air. A few minutes of fighting made it clear that though the Avatar's group was outnumbered, the Dai Li was clearly outmatched.

"I'm not complaining or anything," Sokka said apprehensively, "but isn't this a little too easy?"

Zuko threw a fireball at the nearest group of charging Dai Li agents and nodded.

"You don't think they're just underestimating us again?" Toph asked, as she blocked another attack and sent a wave of earth to retaliate.

"Not this time," Katara replied, sending her water whip in action, "they don't even seem to be taking us seriously."

With a flick of his huge tail, Appa sent some soldiers flying and Aang took a good look at their enemies.

"Guys, sorry that I can't be of much help," the Avatar said in embarrassment.

"Don't worry about that, Aang," Toph replied, "we got this."

But still the group was apprehensive. Zuko noticed a beaten-up Dai Li agent chuckling in a corner. The prince narrowed his eyes and approached the other man.

He took him by the collar and aiming a fire dart at his neck, Zuko threatened him. The man only seemed mildly amused.

"You're all so foolish," he muttered ominously, "you may be able to defeat us. But you don't stand a chance against who's on the way."

Zuko tightened his grip on the man.

"What are you talking about?" the firebender asked threateningly.

"Oh, I think _you _ought to know," the earthbender replied with a sinister glint in his eyes, "_she's _coming."

Zuko's eyes widened with realization and he knocked the cackling man out before returning to the others.

"We need to go NOW!" he told them.

"In a minute, we're nearly done with them," Toph said as she sent a rock shower on her opponents.

"We've wasted enough time here already," Zuko explained, "don't you see what they're doing? They're delaying us so that someone else can defeat us again."

"Someone else? Who?" Sokka asked.

"Azula," Zuko replied gravely.

At the sound of this name, the others turned to look at him seriously.

"And I don't think she's coming alone," Zuko continued, "so our priority has to be to get Aang away from here and to safety as far away from my sister as possible."

"You're right," Katara said.

Toph nodded and after creating a large wall to block off any Dai Li attack, she cleared a path to the exit tunnel.

"Let's go!" Sokka said, climbing on Appa and extending his hand to the others. Katara was about to climb on as well with Zuko helping her but she turned to him suspiciously.

"You need to get out of here before my sister arrives," Zuko told them urgently.

"Wait," Katara said, seeing a familiar stubborn expression on his face, "why aren't you coming with us?"

Zuko looked at her gravely and shook his head.

"Zuko!" she cried in alarm, "What are you thinking?"

"I have some unfinished business with my _beloved _sister," he replied calmly, "and I'll hold her off as long as I can. That should give you and Aang more time to escape."

"Don't be ridiculous, Zuko, now isn't the time for heroics," Katara reprimanded.

"Come with us," Sokka urged.

"We can't leave you here alone," Aang said in concern.

"She tried to kill you once already," Katara argued, "we can't let that happen again."

"Trust me, Katara, I know what I'm doing," Zuko replied, "I have a score to settle with her and that will give you guys enough time to put some distance between Aang and the enemies. I need to face her now. I've been running from it long enough."

"Well, then, I'll stay," Katara said resolutely.

"No, Katara," Zuko replied, "Aang needs you more now."

"But…" Katara protested.

"And this way," Zuko cut her off, "no one else needs to get hurt."

Katara frowned at him but he returned her gaze seriously.

"I don't think there's any point arguing with him now, Katara," Toph called out, "and we've wasted some enough time already."

"Go," Zuko urged gently, "I'll catch up with you later, I promise."

Katara glared at him and struggled to contain her frustration. His calm expression made only infuriated her more. Why did he always have to do things on his own?

"You…you stubborn idiot!" she cried out in exasperation.

Zuko flinched, expecting a slap or some other violent physical attack. So he was greatly surprised when he felt the waterbender grab his neck and press her lips on his.

Toph rolled her eyes while Sokka and Aang suppressed some chuckles.

It was over in a flash and Katara looked back at him defiantly but with a severely reddened face. Zuko could only gape at her and blush.

"You had better keep that promise," Katara declared before turning around and climbing on Appa.


	13. Chapter 13

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: This is probably the darkest chapter in the whole story. You all expected it. Things are always more sinister when Azula is involved. In the first part, I kept some of the original dialogue from the show because I found that part brilliant and one of the best-written exchanges of the entire season._

_There is also the "obligatory Agni Kai" in this chapter. I noticed that in practically all my long Zutara stories, there is always an Agni Kai. I still have trouble describing action sequences but I love the tension between fighters in the duel._

_Anyway, enjoy the chapter. And expect an update in a day or two. _

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"Princess Azula," Long Feng greeted, bowing respectfully, "it is a great honor to have you leading our forces once more."

"Spare me the insincere courtesies, Long Feng," Azula replied coldly, "you know how much I hate wasting time on useless things."

She flicked her wrist lazily and immediately two Dai Li agents sent earth shackles to bind Long Feng and the proud minister was brought to his knees.

"What is the meaning of this?" Long Feng protested though he was well aware that any action at this point was futile. But he wanted to preserve as much dignity as he could even as he fell.

"Did you really think you could succeed in plotting against me? Me?" Azula asked in sinister amusement before giving a laugh that sent chills down the spines of all present there, "Really, Long Feng, I thought you were smarter than that? Seems I gave you too much credit."

Long Feng looked down knowing there was no point in denying anything. He had been discovered and he would now have to pay the price.

"You've beaten me at my own game," he muttered dejectedly.

"Don't flatter yourself," Azula taunted, "you were never even a player."

They had assembled in the Earth King's throne room and Azula had seated herself comfortably on the monarch's throne. The foreign princess looked more suited to be at the seat of power than the real king who was nothing more than a Fire Nation puppet.

She looked down at the frightened faces before her and she smirked with satisfaction. Everything was just as it should be.

"I can see the temptation, of course," Azula continued, "after all, I have long treated you like little less than the slave that you are. Of course you would be resentful. But to try and use my brother as leverage against me, that is truly amusing."

Azula laughed again and all the people present grew more uneasy. She never concerned herself over anyone's discomfort.

"Even if you were able to convince Mr. Honor to sink to your level and conspire against me," she said, "you would never have succeeded. It's just hilarious that you even tried. You're never going to find anyone more obsessed with honor and integrity than my _beloved _brother. Punishing you too severely would be beneath him. Even if he had found you guilty of such a heinous crime, he would still spare your life."

She turned to face the traitor and gave him a piercing look with those golden eyes that was enough to seal his fate.

"Unfortunately for you," she declared coldly, an evil glint in her eyes, "I am nothing like my brother."

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"It's not too late to turn back, you know," Sokka said gently.

Katara had been eerily silent during the whole flight. She smiled at her brother sadly, knowing that he was just trying to cheer her up. The others had not teased her for what had happened in Ba Sing Se. It was hardly the time for that. They all knew how sad and worried she felt and they wanted to comfort her.

"Don't be silly, Sokka," she said, "We're leagues away from Ba Sing Se by now."

"Katara, stop denying it," Aang told her, "We all know how worried you are about him. We're worried too. And I'm sorry that we had to leave him behind to save me."

"Oh no," Katara protested, "don't blame yourself, Aang. He would have done the same for any of us, I'm sure of it. That idiot!"

"Aw, listen to yourself," Toph said in amusement, "You really do care for him, don't you?"

"Very much," Katara said with a sigh.

"And you don't think he can take care of himself when he faces his sister?" Sokka asked.

"His firebending has improved significantly the whole time he was with us," Aang said, trying to reassure her, "if there was ever a time that he was ready to face Azula, it would be now. And I think he knows that."

Katara just nodded though her eyes were still turned to where Ba Sing Se was.

"I just," she said, "I just can't help but remember what happened last time. Azula will show him no mercy."

"I think he knows that," Toph said.

Katara sighed again.

"I'm sorry for being so persistent," the waterbender said in slight exasperation, "I know he's perfectly capable of defending himself. I know he did this to save Aang, and I know that he will do everything he can to fulfill his promise…"

"But?" Aang asked gently.

"I don't know, I can't explain it," Katara cried, "it's just that once again, even when he's finally found friends and family in us, he's doing this again, just like how he has been all his life, he's facing his demons alone."

Katara turned her gaze to the shrinking figure of the walled city.

"And I can't bear to think that," she whispered.

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"My dear brother," Azula greeted mockingly, as Zuko glared back at her, "it's been a while."

She faced her brother by herself since she left Ty Lee and Mai to guard the Earth King and to take charge of the rest of the city. They were surrounded by a vast army of Dai Li agents but the two children of the Fire Lord paid them no heed. They were the only people that mattered in that room. This showdown had long been delayed and they were both eager to see how it would play out.

"How noble of you to stay behind while your friends escaped," Azula said derisively, "how noble and how foolish."

Zuko frowned but stood his ground. Azula raised an eyebrow.

"We could end this now, Azula, just you and I," the prince declared boldly.

"What?" Azula replied in a bored tone, "Are you going to challenge me to an Agni Kai?"

"Yes," Zuko answered determinedly.

"Dull," Azula said uninterestedly, "I can't be bothered to beat you today."

"Is that because you can't beat me?" Zuko taunted.

Azula merely laughed haughtily at him.

"Please, Zuzu," she said in amusement, "I'm not falling for that. Stop acting so childish and petty."

"Stop being evil, then," Zuko replied coldly.

Azula's eyes widened in mock shock.

"My dear brother, you wound me," she said in a tone of artificial injury, "how can you say such a thing to your favorite sister?"

"Very easily," he said calmly.

"Well, well, well," Azula said, "developed a bit of wit than, have we? How charming."

"There's no point having me imprisoned in here again, Azula," Zuko declared, "I escaped once. I can do it again."

"Hmmm, that's debatable," Azula said with a shrug.

"Besides, for as long as I can still fight you, I will always be a thorn at your side," Zuko argued further.

"Don't flatter yourself, Zuzu," Azula answered coldly, "you're not as big a threat to me as Long Feng wanted you to believe."

"Ah, but I am still a threat, then?" Zuko pointed out quickly.

Azula frowned.

"And wouldn't it be more efficient if you just got rid of me now than wait for me to cause you more trouble later on?" Zuko continued, "You always were one for efficiency."

"That's true," the princess answered, "but then again, I don't like getting my hands dirty if I can help it."

Azula pretended to consider this before shrugging again and flicking her wrist towards Zuko. A few earthbenders moved to obey but as Zuko glared at them they hesitated. Azula saw this at once.

"Well?" she told her minions in a tone dripping with menace.

The pitiful earthbenders looked nervously from one fierce firebender to the other, caught in between the glares of two dragons, not knowing who it would be safer to follow.

Seeing their further hesitation and fear, Azula cackled loudly. The rest of the army shivered but no one dared join her. Zuko continued to glare at her coldly.

"Well, well, Zuzu, I must say I am impressed," she declared after laughing, "I never thought you could ever pull it off, inspiring fear in others? But it seems you picked up a few tricks during your little vacation with the Avatar."

"And there's more where that came from," Zuko said smoothly.

Azula raised an eyebrow and laughed again.

"Such cheek," she said in amusement, "I would never have recognized you as my brother. I have to say now I kind of miss the old Zuzu, that pathetic, sniveling, whiny fool."

"Sorry to disappoint you," Zuko replied, "but you're never going to see him again."

"So it seems," Azula said curtly.

Once again, she glanced at her frightened minions who had not stopped trembling in fear even as they listened to the banter between the siblings. They realized now why the Fire Nation had been able to rule over the world for more than a hundred years. The royal family was truly a fearsome breed.

Seeing their continued hesitation and fear, Azula rolled her eyes and sighed.

"It is so difficult to get decent help these days," she commented dryly, "it seems that if you want to get anything done right, you had better do it yourself."

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With a loud whoop, the Avatar bounced from the back of his sky bison and onto the ground, riding on a great ball of wind that he had created. His friends all gave loud cheers as they watched him regain his bending. Finally, Aang seemed like his old self again and his grin was wider than they had ever seen it. He was so glad to have his powers back. It was the most rejuvenating feeling he had ever had.

They had reached a remote area of the Earth Kingdom where they knew Azula and her soldiers would not be able to find them. It was in a hidden cove with a small strip of beach. They were close to the sea but away from any major ports.

Appa was taking a break after the long journey and all of them wanted to rest as well. But what made them all feel more hopeful was seeing Aang regain his strength at last.

As they prepared camp, the Avatar tested his other abilities and began to randomly bend an element just to check if he still had the hang of it. Soon, he was shooting fire, air, water, and earth all over the place to his great delight. In spite of all that had happened, he and his friends found a little something to celebrate at least.

The group went about preparing their camp and making plans for the future. None of them had any idea where Iroh was but they were sure that he would return to help them in the major battles ahead.

As they discussed their circumstances, everyone else noticed that Katara seemed constantly distracted. She would unconsciously fall silent and turn her gaze towards the direction of Ba Sing Se, though it was many, many miles away, and she would sigh sadly. Toph shook her head and Sokka and Aang looked at each other knowingly.

But Katara was too selfless to voice her worries though these were clearly written on her face. Later on, when the others had gone to bed, she remained awake, staring into the night sky, praying as fervently as she could for Zuko's safety.

"Protect him, Yue," she beseeched the Moon Spirit, "keep him safe."

The waterbender stared across the rolling waves of the sea, her gaze directed at the spot where the wall city would be. And she sighed again.

"Take Appa," a voice said.

Katara turned around in surprise. Aang, Sokka, and Toph stood by smiling at her encouragingly.

"You'll get there quicker if you do," Aang continued.

"I can't do that," Katara protested, "what about you? I need to stay here with you."

"Don't worry about us," Sokka answered, "we can manage."

"I'm the greatest earthbender in the world, you know," Toph said with a grin.

"And I'm the Avatar," Aang added.

"Besides, you're never going to rest easy not knowing how he is," Toph explained, "So you might as well return to him. He'll be pleasantly surprised."

"You said you didn't want him to be alone," Aang said, "here's your chance to change that."

"You guys," Katara said in awe, staring at them gratefully, her eyes swelling with tears.

They smiled at her. They understood her perfectly.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Toph urged.

"Thank you," Katara said simply, "thank you."

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Not long ago, the winner in any Agni Kai involving Princess Azula was always and undoubtedly Princess Azula. But in the grand duel that began between the Fire Lord's two children, no one could be certain who would emerge as the victor. No one could even imagine who would survive.

The two siblings had moved from the secret, subterranean prisons of Ba Sing Se into a large arena in the center of the city. They fought in open-air, in broad daylight, there for everyone to see and fear. All the citizens of the walled city gathered to witness one of the grandest battles in history. And even the soldiers who watched the fight could not help but stare in awe at the unparalleled display of firebending done by the brother and sister.

But even the most curious of spectators knew enough to keep their distance. Walls and waves of fire were thrown and dissipated by each fighter, Azula's trademark blue flames clashing with Zuko's red and gold flames. Each fighter skillfully dodged every attack and retaliated quickly and powerfully. Attacks were either immense and imposing or small and precise. Golden eyes were focused on each other as the firebenders tried to predict the opponent's next moves. It was clear that neither was ever going to surrender.

Not everyone understood why the Fire Lord's children had chosen an Earth Kingdom city to duel in. Mysterious as it was, no one dared question it. They merely watched in fearful wonder and hoped that the outcome of this fight might bring about some long-desired changes.

The Agni Kai began at dawn, and as the sun rose, each firebender grew in power and unleashed fire and fury such as was never seen before. As expected, Zuko was fiercely focused on the task and every blow he sent towards his sister was a result of intense concentration and planning. Azula on the other hand was more confident of herself though she never made the mistake of being careless. She believed that they were not evenly matched but she wanted to make sure that Zuko's defeat was as devastating as possible.

Blasts and kicks of fire grew larger. Every strike was effectively parried and every stance was unbroken. Soon, the sequences grew more and more elaborate as well as dangerous. Both firebenders began to use a variety of techniques they had learned but never practiced in an actual battle before. Their footwork became more complicated and at times it seemed that they were both engaged in an elaborate but deadly dance.

For the first time in her life, Azula found herself surprised at her brother's skills. She had never imagined that he would improve so much in such a short time. She had underestimated him but she wasn't about to lose. In fact, now that he was a more worthwhile opponent, she was more determined to win.

"Very impressive, Zuzu," she told him during the fight, "maybe if you had been this good several years ago, Father would not have been so disappointed in you."

Zuko did not bother to reply to this insult. He knew his sister's line of attack well. She did not just employ physical assaults but also verbal ones. And sometimes, her opponents were defeated by her harsh words long before she even hit them with her firebending.

His easy defense against words that used to cripple him before surprised Azula though she managed to hide her astonishment well. She had expected her brother to fold easily after several piercing insults but he was unfazed. Her words no longer had the same wounding effect on him as they did before. He had acquired a level of self-esteem that made him more or less immune to her jibes.

"Interesting," Azula thought as she blocked one of Zuko's blows. She was never one to show disappointment or frustration. Especially in battle.

"Who would have thought that staying with the Avatar all this time would have improved you so much?" she thought silently since she would never admit out loud that her brother had really improved. But she wondered, was this really the Avatar's influence or was Zuko inspired by something – or someone – else?

The princess pondered on this while splitting a wall of fire Zuko had sent her way.

Meanwhile, Zuko kept his silence and concentrated on firebending. There was no point in responding to any of Azula's taunts. To most of her opponents, that was the fatal mistake. But he knew his sister's style well and so far he managed to triumph over it. But he couldn't be easy or comfortable yet.

More than the training he had received during his stay with the Avatar, it was their friendship and support which had strengthened Zuko so much. And in particular, it was Katara's love that now made him more determined to defeat his sister. He tried not to be distracted by the memory of what had happened when he had said good-bye to her but it gave him a happy feeling. And he was determined to experience such joy again soon.

Zuko could see that Azula was devising a new strategy. Her expression had turned from mocking to cold and calculating. So the brother knew that he would have to be on his guard this time. There was still one technique she had yet to use and by the way she was preparing, Zuko knew that it was forthcoming. He was sure that she didn't think that he could deflect _that _attack.

At length, Azula spoke again.

"Well, well, this was all very amusing," she declared, "but I fear I have to put an end to this little game of ours, brother. I have other, more important matters to attend to. Just the usual, you know, a city to dominate, a kingdom to inherit."

"You're not the only one with priorities, Azula," Zuko replied calmly.

"Good, so you agree with me then," Azula replied getting into a familiar position.

Zuko knew this well and got into position, taking a deep breath.

Azula closed her eyes for the briefest moment as she readied herself as a familiar crackling sound surrounded her. And when her eyes snapped open again, she aimed her fingers at her brother, shooting fierce lightning in his direction.

"You won't be able to defend yourself against _that,_" Azula thought with satisfaction.

She waited for Zuko's screams of agony and for the thud of his body as it fell to the ground. In a moment, she realized her mistake and her eyes widened as she saw Zuko redirect the lightning towards her.

Azula had the presence of mind to dodge the attack but she barely escaped. Shocked and fuming, she could not help but give a roar of frustration, blue flames blowing from her mouth.

"HOW DARE YOU?" she cried, "HOW COULD YOU?"

Zuko returned to his first position and looked at his sister evenly.

"Like I said, you're not the only one with priorities, Azula," he said calmly, "I have a promise to keep."


	14. Chapter 14

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: So here is the penultimate chapter of the story. I hope you like how it turns out. I've been working overtime to finish these chapters so you may expect the last one to be posted on the historic date 11-11-11._

_Thanks for sticking with the story this far and I hope you enjoy this chapter! _

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It was after sunset when the sky bison landed in a relatively secluded area on the shores of Lake Laogai. Appa was surprisingly discreet in spite of his size and he was able to land quietly and stealthily. Katara got off and looked around. To her relief, there weren't any guards patrolling the area.

"Thanks, Appa," the waterbender told her friend, "I can take it from here."

The sky bison tilted his head curiously. Katara smiled at him.

"Don't worry," she reassured him, "I'll be all right. Besides, it will be a little harder to sneak in if I have a giant sky bison with me."

Appa grunted.

"You can let Aang and the others know that I'm safe," she continued, "besides, I'm going to see Zuko. We'll be all right."

The sky bison gave her another curious look before grunting in resignation and soaring away. Katara watched and waited until Appa was just a speck in the sky before she made her way to the lake. She used her waterbending to get her across and to find one of the secret entrances to the city that she and the others had discovered when they escaped.

After a few minutes, she was within the walls once more. The waterbender looked around her carefully before walking into a dark narrow alley. She put on a cloak and hood that she had brought as a disguise and walked around and tried to think of a plan to help Zuko. She wasn't sure if he was still imprisoned underground so she needed to know where he was first.

For some reason, the city streets were deserted. It was as if people were either hiding, cooped up in their houses, or away somewhere all at the same time .Katara wished there was someone she could ask about what has happening. And yet she was afraid of going out in the open since she knew that there were probably still some Dai Li spies around.

What Katara was counting on to use to her advantage was the element of surprise. Surely, Long Feng or his minions would never expect her to come back. They would be too busy watching Zuko and doing whatever Azula ordered them to do.

As she thought about the fierce Fire Nation princess, Katara wondered again how strange it must have been for Zuko to grow up with a sister like that. She hoped that the confrontation between siblings would not be as dangerous as the last time but she knew that it was more likely that the showdown would be even more fatal.

Her reverie was interrupted by a large explosion somewhere from the center of the city. The dark sky lit up with a wondrous display of something close to fireworks. But Katara knew that this was no celebration or holiday. The waterbender narrowed her eyes at the bursts of flame that lit the sky.

"An Agni Kai," she whispered before trying to find her way through the maze of streets. The fight was taking place not far from where she stood and she hastened towards it anxiously.

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"You will pay for that, ZUZU!" Azula screamed as she shot another lightning bolt at her brother.

Unfortunately for her, it did not have the desired effect since he was only able to deflect it with ease. Azula didn't realize that the more she tried to shoot lightning at Zuko, the more accustomed and expert he became in deflecting it.

The firebending prodigy wasn't so angry about seeing her brother capable of advanced techniques. She always wanted worthy adversaries to keep her entertained.

What truly enraged her was knowing that Zuko was sparing her life. Several times, he could easily have finished her off by redirecting the lightning fast enough. There were counter-attacks that even she could not have escaped. But she knew that his strong sense of honor and whatever memory he had of her being his sister kept him from doing her any deadly damage. She resented his pity more than anything else.

She did not have similar concerns but the fight had gone on so long that even she had to struggle to keep up. She was also losing her composure as the fight continued and this was a sure enough sign that the fatigue was getting to her. And yet, this only made her more determined to defeat her brother.

They were both exhausted from what seemed like the longest Agni Kai in recent history. But both were also too stubborn to surrender and so their audience remained watching in fearful suspense as the clash continued. All the people there realized that the result of this fight would determine their future. Though there were only two people involved, the duel was one that would show the difference between slavery and freedom.

Though many of the citizens had an idea that Zuko was being their champion, they dared not cheer for him. And yet, no one could force them to cheer for Azula. So the grand duel was fought with the tense silence and hushed comments of the crowd being the only reactions.

But it was strange that the fate of so many citizens of the Earth Kingdom and other refugees rested on the shoulders of the son of the Fire Lord. People had been surprised at Zuko's presence there and they were more shocked to know his allegiance was not to his own father.

They also wondered what had become of the Avatar and his friends. The young airbender had been seen wandering around the city for quite some time and then suddenly, he seemed to have vanished without a trace. People hoped that no harm had come to the master of the four elements. After all, he was still the only person powerful enough to challenge and defeat the Fire Lord.

A little later on, a hooded figure joined the crowd and tried her best to get a good view of the fight. No one paid her much attention since she seemed like any ordinary girl and everyone was more interested in the duel.

The waterbender sighed with relief as she was systematically ignored by the large crowd of eager spectators. She craned her neck to be able to see how Zuko was doing and she was doubly relieved to see that he was alive and well – albeit extremely busy.

He had stayed behind to challenge his sister. There had always been some score to settle between the two siblings and now Katara understood a little of why he had opted to stay behind.

But she worried for him greatly and wished that there was something she could do to help. She felt embarrassed and useless now that she had come all the way back only to find out that there was nothing she could do. But she had needed to see Zuko and if only for that, her journey was worth it.

She dared not interfere in the battle though she wasn't sure if she would be able to keep this up if Zuko got seriously injured. Katara joined the rest of the crowd as they watched and waited with bated breath for the fighters' next blows. She could only hope for the best.

People continued to whisper and speculate while others complained (though not very loudly) that the entire thing had lasted long enough.

Meanwhile, the Agni Kai continued between two determined but exhausted firebenders. Brother and sister were already panting from exertion but neither was willing to relent. But then, it was growing evident that despite the great improvement in his bending, Zuko was still the more fatigued of the two since he had just escaped imprisonment. His attacks were growing weaker and each parry was growing slower.

None of these escaped Azula's notice and she regained both her composure and her confidence.

"Give it up, Zuzu," the princess said smugly, "for all your bravado, you can barely stand."

"I might say the same about you," Zuko replied with some effort as he dodged a fire blast from his sister.

Azula merely laughed at this.

"Just accept the truth," she taunted, "you can never win against me."

"Believe me, I can," Zuko said with a small smirk.

Azula frowned at his confidence. It vexed her to see him so undisturbed by anything, so determined to win.

"Then, I will have to break you," she said sinisterly, getting back into position. Zuko mirrored her movements, his eyes never leaving hers.

In spite of their strong words, their bodies betrayed something else. Zuko's posture, in particular, showed how fatigued he was by the whole ordeal. But he was not going to give up. Azula was equally determined.

Both siblings took a deep breath before summoning their greatest flames yet. People standing close to arena stepped back as the clash of fires filled the area. There was a loud explosion and black smoke shrouded the people's vision.

For a few minutes, no one could make out the figures of the two firebenders in the curtain of smoke that had filled the air. This was the moment of truth at last, when the battle would finally be decided.

Some people coughed as the smoke finally cleared to reveal the victor of the grand Agni Kai.

Loud gasps of fear were heard as soon as people saw Azula standing triumphantly, her arms folded across her chest as she looked down on the kneeling figure before her. Zuko was panting from exhaustion was really barely able to stand.

The people sighed at the sight. The hope that they had nurtured so carefully and faithfully had just been snatched away from them. Katara stared in horror and instinctively, readied the water skin at her side. Azula would show no mercy, Katara knew that much. So she would need to rescue Zuko as quickly as possible.

And yet for all the dismay expressed by his supporters, Zuko still looked strangely unperturbed. He simply looked back at his sister evenly, with a serenity that made Azula frown in spite of everything.

"How pathetic, Zuzu," the princess mocked, "After all this, you're still a loser after all."

Zuko said nothing to this, knowing that it would irritate Azula. And it did.

"Well, then, what do you have to say for yourself, my dear brother?" Azula continued to taunt, "It seems like you were just wasting time."

"I don't think so," Zuko replied with a nonchalant shake of his head.

Azula raised an eyebrow at him suspiciously. The brother then stared back at her.

"I'd say it was more like buying time," he declared with a triumphant grin.

The princess' eyes widened incredulously. Before she could retort, several loud explosions occurred one after the other. Azula whirled around to see where these had come from while Zuko remained relaxed.

The people in the crowd were just as confused and now extremely worried. They did not dare budge from where they stood, not in such uncertain circumstances. And yet, there was a wave of positive energy spreading that was uplifting their spirits somehow.

"What is this?" Azula screamed in frustration.

The smoke cleared to reveal several figures dressed in white robes. Soon, when everything grew clearer, the new arrivals became more recognizable.

Azula's eyes widened in instant recognition. From where she was, Katara could not help but grin widely at the strange turn of events.

One of the figures stepped forward, walking towards Azula and Zuko.

"We'll take it from here, Zuko," Iroh told his nephew, "thanks for your help."

"Of course, Uncle," Zuko replied with a smile.

"What is the meaning of this?" Azula cried out in exasperation, "What are you doing here, old man?"

"Well, it's really simple, my dear," Iroh answered lightly but also dead seriously, "I've come to re-conquer Ba Sing Se for the Earth Kingdom. And I brought company!"

At this, the figures in white all stepped forward. King Bumi of Omashu was there, and from where she stood, Katara recognized her waterbending master, Pakku of the Northern Water Tribe. Several other dignified looking gentlemen joined Iroh as he challenged his niece. Azula stared at them for a few moments.

"Hmmmph," the princess scoffed, though she wasn't as smug and arrogant as she was before, "you're just a handful of old men. How can you even aspire to beat me and my army?" 

"That's where you're wrong, Azula," Iroh told her, "We aren't just _any _old men. We are some of the greatest warriors you will ever have the privilege to fight against. We are the Order of the White Lotus, and we have come to reclaim Ba Sing Se in the name of the Earth Kingdom and in the name of freedom!"

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The next few hours were filled with excitement as Azula's army of Dai Li agents and some Fire Nation soldiers clashed the talented members of the Order. This was the real battle for Ba Sing Se.

Azula had been taken by surprise so much that she didn't have time to plan or devise strategies or anything of that kind. It was all she could do to counter the attacks her uncle and the others made. But not unlike Zuko, she was quite tired as well so it grew more and more difficult for her to cope with the changes.

What was intolerable to her was the thought that for the first time in her life, she might actually lose. The Dai Li agents and Fire Nation soldiers Azula had at her disposal did their best to defend themselves. Most of them knew, however, that they didn't stand much a chance against some of the most powerful benders and most skilled swordsmen in the world. But they were more willing to take their chances against the Order of the White Lotus than to brave Azula's wrath. What kept the fight raging was the fear the princess inspired in all her lackeys.

She decided that her best bet would be to defeat her uncle but this was proving to be more challenging that she expected. She also wasn't sure if Iroh would show her the same "mercy" that Zuko had. Not that she wanted or needed any mercy. But she wanted to know what she was up against.

Meanwhile, Zuko had moved to the sidelines carefully so that he could recover some of his strength. In spite of the physical exhaustion, he was relieved that things worked out well. He sat on a bench not far from the arena. The crowds had dispersed after seeing that a grander battle had begun.

Zuko leaned against a stone wall and took a deep breath, closing his eyes. Suddenly, he felt someone punch him in the shoulder. He was just about to aim fire at his attacker when he found himself looking straight into a familiar pair of ocean blue eyes.

"What are you doing here, Katara?" he asked in surprise.

"You jerk!" the waterbender scolded, "How long have you been planning this?"

"Not that long, believe me," Zuko answered, still trying to figure out how Katara could be standing beside him, "I only decided to stay when I found out that Azula was coming. Before Uncle Iroh left, all he told me was that if my sister were ever to arrive in the city, I should do everything I can to keep her here."

"Well, why didn't you tell us about it?" Katara asked, "We could have helped you. You don't have to do everything, you know."

"I never expected that it would actually happen so soon," Zuko replied, "Uncle Iroh probably knows more about it than I do. I just followed his advice. I didn't want to burden the rest of you with this task, especially since Aang was injured."

She still glared at him suspiciously. He stared back.

"But wait, what are you doing here?" he repeated, "What about Aang and the others?"

"Don't worry. Aang's fine and Sokka and Toph are with him," Katara replied, "I had to come back, I had to make sure that you were all right."

At this, her expression softened and Zuko thought he saw tears in her eyes. Before he could say anything, Zuko felt himself crushed in a tight embrace.

"I'm so glad you're all right," she told him earnestly, "you don't know how scared I was for you even if I know your strength."

Zuko smiled and returned the embrace.

"I'm sorry for making you worry," he told her, "but I had every intention of keeping my promise to you."

"I never doubted that," Katara replied with a smile, "but I still wanted to be by your side."

They broke apart slowly and Zuko stared at her in wonder. Katara blushed but she did not look away.

"Thank you, Katara," the firebender said sincerely, "this means so much to me."

She nodded back and smiled at him. For a few moments, it seemed like there was no great battle raging around them. But they didn't linger in the trance for very long.

"I know that we have a lot to talk about," Zuko said seriously, "but…"

"I know," Katara interrupted him, pointing her finger to his lips, "I don't think now's the best time for all that."

"You're right, of course," Zuko answered, smiling, "there will be time enough for all that later."

"Do you have any injuries that need tending to?" Katara asked in concern.

Zuko shook his head after checking for any pain.

"Nothing serious, don't worry," he reassured her, "I was just really, really tired."

"Oh," she said, "so maybe you should rest now."

"No, I don't' think so," he protested, "Because now I feel like my energy has been restored."

He gave her one of those rare smiles that made Katara melt so easily. She blushed and looked away in embarrassment. But she held on nevertheless.

"Katara," Zuko said, gently taking her hands in his, "We still have a city to liberate. Care to join me?"

"It would be my pleasure," she replied with a grin.


	15. Chapter 15

An Earlier Intersection 

_DISCLAIMER: I've said it time and again, Avatar: the Last Airbender is no possession of mine. So this is merely my humble tribute to it._

_NOTE: Welcome to the final chapter of this story! Thanks for sticking it out with me for the past few months. I hope you like the ending. All my other comments will come at the end of the chapter._

_EXTRA NOTE: I wasn't able to check my account for a few months and I saw that this chapter had not been posted when I wanted it to be. I apologize. There must have been some glitch in the system. Sorry for the delay._

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There had never been a battle like this in all history.

Gathered together for the very first time were the greatest benders of a legendary generation. Their combined force could only be surpassed by the Avatar himself, and only when he was at his most powerful – in the Avatar state.

But since the Avatar was not present, the liberation of the largest secret colony of the Fire Nation was left in the hands of allies the airbender did not even know he had.

This is not to belittle their opponents. After all, any good battle requires worthy adversaries. And Princess Azula, even at her weakest, was always a force to reckon with. Not to mention, of course, the remaining hordes of Fire nation soldiers, Dai Li agents, and various other mercenaries who were in the service of the most ruthless woman in the Fire Nation.

In the first few moments of the battle, it seemed like the Order of the White Lotus had the upper hand. After all, they had had the advantage of the element of surprise.

However, Azula was never one to linger in incredulity. She would not allow herself to be outdone for long. She recovered from the initial shock quickly enough and though the duel with her brother left her physically spent; her mind was as agile as ever. And with the authority and ferocity of a fearsome leader, she organized her forces strategically in order to launch a counterattack.

But by then, the Order had been joined by two other benders who were growing legendary in their own right. Zuko and Katara eagerly joined the fray, more motivated by the other's presence than just a sense of justice and honor.

"Ah, love," Iroh thought with a sigh as he watched his nephew and the waterbender fight side by side, "that is the best motivation for anything. And it always inspires amazing successes."

The two younger benders were also glad to make some new friends among the members of the Order such as the sword master Piandao. And Zuko was introduced to the deserter Jeong Jeong. But what they enjoyed most was catching up with old friends.

"Master Pakku!" Katara cried out excitedly at the sight of her waterbending master, "it's so good to see you again!"

"I can assure you that the feeling is mutual," the revered waterbending master with a smile.

Master and student embraced warmly and Katara eagerly introduced Zuko to Pakku.

"I've heard many good things about you from your uncle," Pakku told the firebender with a grin, "but I have a feeling, I'm about to hear more good things about you from Katara."

Pakku gave his student a significant glance and Katara could not help but blush, which only confirmed the older man's suspicions. Zuko simply looked embarrassed.

Before anything further could be said, the familiar sound of frenzied laughter could be heard.

"Save the heartwarming reunions for later," the jovial king of Omashu declared, "we still have an army to defeat!"

And with that, King Bumi easily deflected a series of Dai Li attacks while sending a wave of earth to attack a troop of hapless firebenders.

So the battle raged on, with bender pitted against bender and all other fighters doing their best to win. Three elements clashed spectacularly, and several times, the vast city was on the verge of utter destruction. Fortunately, the members of the Order were as concerned about keeping the citizens safe as they were about defeating the city's captors. So in spite of the fierce fights, there was still some level of damage control.

The benders continued to fight against each other for several hours with fireballs and walls of earth and water whips being launched all over the place. Fortunately, for the Order, it had two of the greatest waterbenders in the world on its side whereas Azula had no waterbenders at her disposal (not having found any traitorous waterbenders to employ.) And so the battle continued.

But this time, the citizens of Ba Sing Se no longer stood by in fear or indifference. Inspired by the presence of strong and capable leaders who were fighting for their liberty, the people decided to participate more actively in the struggle. After all, they were fighting for their future.

So the people, benders or not, went up in arms and began to use all sorts of weapons to defend themselves against the treacherous Dai Li and the ruthless Fire Nation soldiers.

The enemy had to contend with this development and they had much difficulty doing so. They had been so accustomed to the people being fearful and subservient that this sudden resistance was extremely unexpected. Azula had always depended on sowing fear in people in order to control them. She never imagined that there could be anything that could overpower fear and she had always looked down on hope as the last refuge of the weak. Maybe it was because she had never experienced fear herself.

But little by little, she was beginning to get a taste of her own bitter medicine.

"I don't understand," the princess cried furiously as she watched the people of Ba Sing Se join in the fight and contribute to decimating her troops, "these people are weak and cowardly, how dare they fight against me?"

"You need to learn, Azula," Iroh told her calmly, "that even the meekest of people has his breaking point. And if you push them too far, they inevitably strike back."

"Even so," Azula argued, "they are fools to think that they are any match against me!"

In spite of everything, the Fire Nation princess still managed to defend herself against attacks from both the Order and the citizens of the Earth Kingdom fortress. What was more appalling to her was that not only did the former oppressed and submissive slaves start fighting back, they also dared attack her. Her fire blasts still kept them at bay but she was growing weaker by the minute, and even she had to acknowledge that.

"Stay away from me, you filth!" she screamed, growing more and more frantic as the enemies advanced.

"Give this up, Azula," Iroh told her, "you no longer have any advantage. Surrender and we will show you mercy."

"I don't need any mercy from you," she spat back bitterly; "You will regret the day you decided to go against me."

Iroh shook his head sadly. But he had expected such an answer. After all, every member of their whole family was obstinate to a fault.

"Give up now, Azula," Zuko told his sister, as he and Katara came up from behind, "you know you cannot win this."

"And since when do I take orders from you, Zuzu?" the princess retorted acidly.

Azula was now surrounded by her uncle, her brother, Katara, and several other powerful benders. She was in a defensive position but she struggled to maintain it as she kept turning around, her hands poised to strike but she was still unsure about the target. The desperation was showing on her face as well as her characteristic rage. To have her plans destroyed in such a manner was the greatest blow to her pride she had ever received in her life. She was not prepared for any of this.

For a moment she was painfully aware of the futility of any action. She knew that she was surrounded and from the corner of her eye, she could see that her remaining forces were being defeated pathetically by the members of the Order and the other allies. She was losing, and she could no longer deny it.

Even though she had never been aware that she had it in the first place, Azula felt her hope disappearing. But she refused to break down and did not want to be defeated in such a pathetic manner. And most of all, she hated the pity she saw in her uncle and brother's eyes. She knew that they were hesitating to strike her because of some remaining familial connection, maybe stronger in Zuko's case (in spite of the horrible way she had treated him).

"It's over, Azula," Katara said, "Your best chance is to give up now."

"And who told you I cared to hear your opinion, waterbender?" Azula replied nastily.

Katara frowned but did not take the bait.

"Just give up now," Iroh said sternly, "and no tricks!"

The firebending prodigy narrowed her eyes at them and parried a few amateur blows from her other opponents. The others didn't matter. Her only true adversaries were Iroh, Zuko, and Katara. And though they were undoubtedly formidable warriors, Azula also knew them all to be soft-hearted, _merciful _fools. In spite of the gravity and vulnerability of her circumstances, the princess smirked.

"In spite of everything, I still have the upper hand, after all," she thought triumphantly.

"It's too late for you, Azula," Zuko urged.

"Oh, I don't think so," his sister replied coolly.

Taking a deep breath, she took aim at Iroh and sent a fire blast in his direction. Zuko and Katara, as she expected, came quickly to his aid and the others fired shots and attacks at Azula simultaneously. But she was ready for them. There was a huge explosion where she stood and smoke and dust flew everywhere.

Everyone remained alert as they waited for the cloud to clear. Surely, such a powerful attack would have rendered Azula incapacitated. She might not even have survived it, though Iroh and Zuko did not want to dwell on _that_ unpleasant possibility. But they all felt certain that she would at least be injured.

To a certain extent, they were right. But unfortunately, they would not be able to confirm their suspicions. For as they cloud of dust cleared and they got ready to capture Azula, to their utter surprise, the princess had vanished.

"Impossible!" cried some of the benders who were there.

"How could we have let her escape?" bemoaned another.

"Find her! She must be captured as soon as possible!" someone ordered, and the rest of the group got into a frenzied search for the princess.

Only three people remained calm throughout this episode. Iroh, Zuko, and Katara were well acquainted with Azula to know that if she wished to escape, she would succeed. They all agreed that attempts ought to be made to find her. But they were fairly certain that Azula had gotten away to safety. And somehow, this didn't bother them too much.

"I suppose we're partly to blame for letting her escape," Iroh admitted to his two young companions discreetly, "I don't want to sound too complacent, but we could have easily overpowered her if…"

"If we had not hesitated," Zuko completed his uncle's sentence for him, "I understand you perfectly, Uncle. In spite of all the awful things she's done to us, Azula is still my sister. And nothing can change the fact that we're still family."

"Even if that tends to be really inconvenient sometimes," Iroh admitted with a small laugh.

"If I didn't know you any better," Katara admitted, "I would have been angry and disappointed at your allowing her to go. But then again, I understand how strong the bonds of family are, even in one as strange as yours. So I trust in your judgment."

"I feel certain that Azula will be beaten at the end of this war," Zuko said gravely, "just as I am certain that only Aang will be able to defeat my father."

"And when the time comes," Katara asked him carefully, "do you think you will be up for it?" 

Zuko pondered on this for a moment. Iroh and Katara looked at him in concern.

"I will be," the prince replied, "and I will do what I can to save her before she destroys herself."

"You may be the only person who can save her," Katara reassured him, placing her hand on his shoulder, "and I have faith in you."

"Though the benefits of mercy are never immediately felt," Iroh moralized, "they always count in the long term."

"Wise words as always, Uncle," Zuko said with a smile.

"Well, we'll need some nifty quotations to go down in the history books," Iroh said with a larger grin, "I think you can see that another great battle has reached its conclusion."

"Let's help out while we still can," Katara suggested, "I didn't come here to be a mere spectator."

"That's the spirit!" Iroh said cheerfully, "let's go then!"

So the three powerful benders rejoined their troops as they finished off the remnants of Azula's army. The work did not take long as the forces had already been depleted. And news of Azula's sudden disappearance severely disheartened the rest of her men. The thought that their fearless leader had escaped was enough to sink the morale of those who had been fiercely loyal to her. None of them had expected her to relent, and yet, this is what happened. So they surrendered quickly and soon the whole thing was over.

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"Citizens of the Earth Kingdom," Iroh declared, "today marks the end of Ba Sing Se as you have known it. No longer is this a secret colony of the Fire Nation, with its people controlled and suppressed by the treacherous agents of the Dai Li." 

The old firebender was standing on a platform that was raised in the center of the city a couple of hours after the fighting. A large crowd had gathered around to hear his remarks, including members of the Order, the citizens of Ba Sing Se, and all others. He had been chosen as the representative of the Order to address the people and make their situation officially known to them. The old man considered this his greatest honor.

"I had a vision that I would conquer Ba Sing Se. I now understand that I was destined to reclaim it for its own people. But I have not been alone in this fight. More than just the support of my fellow members of the Order of the White Lotus, I have also had the help of some of the Avatar's friends. But most importantly, it has been an honor to fight by YOUR side.

Today, you have fought bravely and defended your honor. Today you have shown your captors that no man in the world has the right to rule over another, to bend the other to his will, and to manipulate the lives of innocent people. After years of persecution, you have had enough and you have resisted. You have proven to us all that there is no power on earth that can deny justice to all those who thirst for it.

Today, you have earned your freedom!"

And with this, Iroh raised his hand triumphantly to the crowd and a loud cheer of assent was heard. People began to shout for joy and celebrate a long-awaited victory. Smiles and tears of joy were on everyone's faces.

"Be proud of what you have achieved today, people of Ba Sing Se," Iroh continued, "for this victory has not been only for you but for the whole world. We are sending a message to the Fire Lord that people will no longer stand by and allow this pointless war to continue. Your struggle and your success is the beginning of his end.

And with the Avatar on the mend, it is only a matter of time until balance is restored and our world can live in peace once more!"

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The night sky grew festive as the citizens sent magnificent fireworks displays to celebrate their freedom. All around Ba Sing Se, there was excitement and merriment. Music filled the air and there were feasts and dancing everywhere.

But there was one person who did not eager to join the festivities. Then again, he was never very comfortable at parties. But though he was never one to smile or laugh when he was happy, he was quite content at how things were at the moment.

"Are you all right?" a voice asked in concern.

Zuko turned and smiled as he saw the waterbender approach him.

"I'm fine, thanks to you," he told her with a smile. She returned it.

"You aren't much of a party person, are you?" Katara told him.

"Not really," he replied, "not now, at least."

"You really should lighten up, you know," she teased him, "things are looking well for everyone now, better than they've looked for a hundred years, in fact."

"You're absolutely right," Zuko told her, taking her hand and squeezing it affectionately. Her smile widened and she blushed slightly. But they were no longer awkward with each other. THAT was all in the past.

"Your uncle sent word to Aang and the others letting them know all that happened here," Katara said.

"I'm sure they'll be glad to learn that everything turned out so well," Zuko replied.

"Sokka might be disappointed that all his gloomy predictions did not come true," Katara added slyly. Both of them broke into laughter.

And a few moments after that, they simply stood together and watched the fireworks.

"We've come such a long way," Zuko said pensively, "and there's still a lot left to do."

"I know," Katara said, "but I have faith in Aang and in everyone else. We'll see this thing through till the end, I'm sure of it."

"No matter what comes next, Katara," Zuko said, turning to her and taking her hands in his, "I'm not afraid. I know I'll be able to face anything now, no matter how difficult.

"You won't be alone," she replied, looking at him earnestly.

"And I've never been happier," Zuko said, with a smile.

One great journey in their lives was coming to an end. But another was just about to begin.

-FIN-

_Thank you, dear readers, for all your support! I hope you liked the story._

_It was a struggle to complete it during my hectic schedule but I was determined._

_I must be clear though that there will be no sequel to this. I have no time and no ideas. You can all pretty much guess what happens next anyway._

_And this may be my last multi-chapter Zutara story for a long time. I just need to conclude "His Greatest Challenge Yet" and I don't think I'll be writing Zutara anymore. Not anytime soon, anyway. I'm not saying "never". And if there's Zutara Week next year, I will definitely participate._

_But with "Korra" coming out soon, I may have to move on from this fandom. Who knows? We may find a new ship to love in "Korra". But Zutara will always be my Avatar OTP._

_But for now, my last Zutara story will be "His Greatest Challenge Yet." And I still have a bunch of other incomplete stories to finish soon._

_But thank you so much for all your support! I appreciate all your feedback on my work, especially since I tried my best to give you a worthwhile story._

_Thank you to all those who added this story to your list of Favorites:_

4evacharm3d, a5h13y 101, Aipom4, AK-47, AlexanderJames, Alexydra, allie10136, AnnaAza, Asezuna, awsomepalika, Backlinedeyes, candokid1, Cee-Waterbender, CrazyJulz16, CrossoverAUman, Daftwriter, dracula-key, elayne cipher, Elciram, Ella071, Elven witch wolf, EmpressVicky, EternalBeings, FMKitsune, GaaraHInataWake, Genz's world, Glee-twil-pottacular, hkdk, icewolves, iggy4eva, JocastaBleedsInk, Just Wait and See, KJun, KXR, Maned Wolf Goddess, Midnight Fearie, Minttu9, Natarii-loves-Chocolate-milk, nerdygirl3.14, newangel08, Nightshade de la luna, patty cake rocks, puma1sunfire, Punchan, Rika-chan24, Rizzlesluver, Rockerchic143, Ruby of Raven, Schwann, Secret Weapon Unit 06, seti31, SnoopyGirl213, sokkantylee, Stumpilicious, Tensa Zangetsu17, ThatFanFicGuy, toph12341, UNTensaZangetsu, Vera Amber, Whitewolfz100, WordVortex74, xxxZutaraxxx, and Zelfira.

Thank you in advance to anyone who adds this to their favorites after this.

For those who added this to alerts, you no longer have to wait! Thank you for your patience!

Alerts: 4evacharm3d, aegisZero, Aerin35, Aipom4, Akatsuki-Dawn of Love, Alanna Darkfeather, AnnaAza, Ardiente Deseo, ArrayePL, Basium1, bernie-chan, BloodySilverThorns, BlossomCutie, BlueCapricorn, blueeyes11218, BMoney92, CandyCoatedCute, Cee-Waterbender, CharleeS693, Cheza the Flower Maiden, ComicCartoonFreak13, CreateElements, CrossoverAUman, cupcakeXmuffins, DeaGrimm, demonic angel23, DramaQueen4eva, Dreams-of-Oompa-Loompas, Durandal II, EmpressVicky, enticement, epic1000, Eternal Eyes, Forever2Never, GaaraHinataWake, Genz's world, givetherabbitthefreakintrix, grandiose6, HakushoRurouni, hkdk, Iceheart123, icewolves, iggy4eva, JaiHale, janedoe401, JemaBell23, JessieJayy, , JocastaBleedsInk, jude1028, KaileeA42, Kamikashi, KiraMizu08, KJun, KnowledgeandImagination, KXR, LaBelleD'Italie, Lady Elisabeth, lalachik123, lalaland81985, LCJGA, Lia Silverclaw, Lieta, LifeonCrack, Lightning Rain, Lioutenant Flame, liz10, Lord Kamui, LordGodsServant, LoveisRuthless, Luiz4200, Meditrina, MightyMouseO.O, Miss. Pure, MissDoomandGloom, Moon Mage Goddess, nancydrewgirl, Narutokun234, Natarii-loves-Chocolate-milk, natsuumi, nerdygirl3.14, newangel08, Non Malum, Novamyth, PaRaM0rE-0394, patty cake rocks, perfectships, Potkanka, Princess Inwe, puma1sunfire, Punchan, pureangel86, Qaralia, RARRRRRR, RIzzlesluver, Rockerchic143, Ruby of Raven, Sarcasm22, senecka, ShatteredHeartandSoul, Silvwa, SnoopyGirl213, StarEyed2, Stormglass, SuperninjaX, Sway in the Moonlight, Tenshi no Mugen, The Guardian White Wolf, The Lady of the Land, The Soviet, TheGreekGeek, 'spoison, Tonnocal, trumpetgurl92, Unknown For Some Reason, UNTensaZangetsu, vampireadtic, VampiressE12B, VickyVicarious, volleyballbabe51, Yurie-chan, and Zelfira.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to leave a review: LioutenantFlame, KaliAnn, SnoopyGirl213, Luiz4200, sokkantylee, Ruby of Raven, AnnaAza, Thomson, Dreams-of-Oompa-Loompas, blueeyes11218, dark-light-phoenix, SnoopyGirl213, a5h13y 101, NorthernLights25, Kaydreams, liz10, hkdk, ArrayePL, Rya Three Saber, Meditrina, CreateElements, Cheza the Flower Maiden, jude1028, KJun, pureangel86, Yurie-chan, Wolf, JW, CrossoverAUman, SuperninjaX, lazyguy90, The Lady of the Land, Charmed Ravenclaw, Kamikashi, Whitewolfz100, Potkanka, ComicCartoonFreak13, Sarcasm22, vampireadtic, XrhiaX, Fraya, GaaraHinataWake, demonic angel23, elayne cypher, patty cake rocks, Terra, and XxxMidnightsnowxxx.

If I missed or misspelled any of your names, sorry. But I still really appreciate all your feedback!

_Until the next story!_


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